The tacticians awakening
by Arlux1313
Summary: Jace Ebonhart was born in Plegia, but his mother took him from his crib to keep him from his dark arts obsessed father. Years later, his own journey will bring him back to the country of his birth in an attempt to stop his psychotic father. Yet he wont be on this journey with just the Sheppards.
1. Chapter 1

Images flashed through Jace's head, both a blur and crystal clear. He was atop some sort of flying beast. A wicked smirk of triumph upon his face. He continued to smile even as a hooded figure in a dark coat slowly made their way towards him. The figure reached into its coat and drew a long and beautifully crafted blade. Jace shook his head, and drew the same blade from within his coat. He brought it to bear against the figure, who kept their face hidden under their hood. However to Jace's horror, his blade was suddenly knocked out of his grasp. It arced high into the air, and Jace's eyes followed it. Never seeing the hooded figure plunge their own blade into his heart.

Jace's eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright. He was breathing hard, and shaking horribly as he always did when he had this recurring nightmare. He sighed into his hands, as his fingertips rubbed his eyelids. It was a moment after his eyes had adjusted to his surroundings, did he realize that he was in someplace completely unfamiliar to him.

"Ah, you're awake now." A woman's voice caught his attention. Jace turned his head to the right, to find a stunningly beautiful woman standing in the doorway to the small hut he had been placed in. She seemed to have been about nineteen years of age. Her light green eyes the same color as her long hair, that had been tied back into a ponytail. She wore a light blue tunic-skirt that had long slits on either side, to allow her better mobility.

"Where am I?" Jace asked, with his voice slightly groggy from sleep… If you could call it sleep.

"You're in my home on the Sacean plains." The girl replied with a kind smile. "I am Lyn of the Lorca Tribe. May I ask who you are?"

"Jace Ebonhart." He replied, as he got to his feet from the bedroll that Lyn must have placed him in. "I was raised in many places in Elibe. Lycia, Etrua, Bern, and Illia … I guess you can say I have had many homes. But the country of my birth is called Plegia."

Lyn tilted her head to the side, her brow knitted with confusion. "Plegia? I've never heard of such a place."

Jace smiled and shook his head, brushing a hand through his dark blond hair. "You wouldn't as it's not a country in Elibe."

Jace reached into a small pack by his bedroll, and pulled out a large map of the known world. He unrolled it, and pointed to where Elibe was located. "We're here obviously." He said with a kind smile, then drew his finger down past the Isle of Valor which was the last piece of land that was Elibian territory. His finger finally came to rest on a large continent. "This used to be called Akaneia in the time of the Hero King Marth. Now it's split into several new counties."

"And this Plegia is one of them?" Lyn asked.

"Yes." Jace nodded pointing to the section of what was once Akaneia, that took up the west and south-west portion of the continent. "This is Plegia. It's mostly desert, but you'd be surprised at how many people can live there. To the East is Ylisse, they're fairly friendly, yet from what I've heard Ylisse has been embroidered in a war with Plegia for many years now. And finally to the north is the largest of the three countries which is Regna Ferox. They have an odd combination of war and politics. Or rather war is their politics."

"But why were you raised all over Elibe instead of in Plegia?" Lyn asked, confusion evident in both her tone and her expression.

Jace sighed, and shook his head. "That I don't know. My mother has never told me the full story. She said that my father was a madman obsessed with the dark arts. When he decided to turn his dark studies towards his own son, my mother stole me from my crib and fled far away from my father's clutches."

"Yet you suspect that your mother is keeping the full truth from you?" Lyn asked to which Jace nodded.

All attempts at conversation were cut off, as a terrified scream was carried on the wind. Jace and Lyn shared a look of terrified confusion, then the two dashed out of the door of Lyn's hut. There were a small collection of huts just like Lyn's several hundred yards away, and three hulking figures were throwing things out of the huts unceremoneously.

"Bandits." Lyn said in a biting tone. "They must have come down from the Bern Mountains."

"We can't let this continue." Jace said reaching into his dark coat to grasp the hilt of his blade. "We need a plan. We're outnumbered two to one."

"You've studied tactics?" Lyn asked, her hand on her own blade.

"In every country in Elibe. Jace replied, as two of the bandits had gotten into an argument over one of their finds. That ended with the largest of the three swung his axe, and took the head off of one of his comrades. "Well that evens the odds."

"How should we proceed?" Lyn poised her question never taking her eyes off of the scene, nor her hand off of her blade.

"Think like a predator and pick off the weakest one of the herd." Jace said, nodding to the smaller of the now group of two.

Jace and Lyn drew their blades and very slowly advanced towards the smaller of the two. He roared and charged at the two. Lyn rolled to the side, and Jace brought his blade up to block the downward stroke of the axe. The ringing of blades clashing caught the attention of the larger of the two, who roared in anger when Jace and Lyn ran the smaller of the bandits through with their own blades.

"You think you're going to get away with attacking Batta's Bandits!?" The bandit leader Batta roared. His and Jace's weapons clashed violently in an exchange of strength vs skill. Jace was able to slice Batta's right leg, and the bandit dropped to one knee. Batta then struck out with his left fist, catching him in the chest, and sending him reeling back into the grass. Lyn then took over the fight with Batta, and she moved with unbelievable skill and speed, and Batta could not touch her.

Jace slowly made his way to his feet, and extended his left hand. A thunderclap echoed across the grassy plains, and a ball of thunder shot from the young man's outstretched hand, knocking the axe out of Batta's hand. At the same time as Jace disarmed Batta, Lyn brought her blade across the bandit's throat.

"It's over." Lyn said in that same biting tone sheathing her blade.

"It is indeed." Jace said dragging the bodies of the three bandits together.

"What are you doing?" Lyn asked confused.

"Funeral rites." Jace responded piling the remains of the bandits.

"They're bandits Jace." Lyn said said bitingly.

"They are still humans Lyn. Yes they made the choice to become vile murderers, yet they still deserve a proper funeral." Jace said, making a sign in the ground that Lyn was unfamiliar with.

"What sort of sign is that?" She asked.

"The sign of Naga. The Divine Dragon. She is worshiped in many regions of Plegia, and Ylisse like Elmine is worshiped within many regions of Elibe." Janus explained with a small smile, as he set fire to the bodies of the bandits with a small spell.

(A/N): Alright now lets get some things cleared up before I get crucified for this. Number one, I don't own Fire Emblem. That would be Nintendo.

Number two, ever since I first started playing Fire Emblem (and I got my start with Fire Emblem 7) I never paired up Lyn with anyone. I always thought she had a deeper bond with the tactician than any other of her support options.

Number three, this fic is going to go all the way through the Awakening story if you haven't figured that out already ... And I think we can say bye-bye to my mental stability with this fic.

Number four, I got the idea for this fic after reading _The Fourth Tale_ by the author Alkeni. Never heard of him or his fic, go check it out. It's really good.


	2. Chapter 2

Jace awoke to the smell of something cooking, standing from his bedroll and exiting his hut, he found that Lyn was sitting cross-legged by a small fire. There was a small animal roasting over the fire on a makeshift spit.

"Good morning Jace." She said with a kind smile. "Breakfast?"

"Oh gladly." He responded sitting down next to her. "What is it?"

"Rabbit." She offered him a portion, which he gladly accepted. "Jace may I ask you something?"

The tactician nodded through a mouthful of rabbit, and Lyn posed her question a moment later. "I know you're not planning on staying here, but where you plan on going after leaving Sace?"

"I was planning on heading to Bern." Jace said, sitting up a little straighter. "While my mother and I were living there, I never got to study Wyvern tactics."

"Why is that?" Lyn asked, and Jace felt his stomach contract, and a dark shiver go up his spine.

"My father… He kept sending the Grimleal after mother and I." Jace replied keeping his voice low.

"And … And the Grimleal are?" Lyn asked softly, worry creeping into her voice.

Jace inhaled deeply, his hands shaking slightly. "They are … They are insanely devout servants of another ancient dragon like Naga. The difference being while Naga is known as the Divine Dragon, and the lord of creation. Grima on the other hand is the Fell Dragon. The lord of death and destruction."

"And people worship this Grima?" Lyn asked clearly horrified.

Jace nodded. "From what my father is a member of the Grimleal, and a high ranking one at that. I don't know how he continued to find us, but he sent agents of the Grimleal after us no matter where we were in Elibe. I learned very fast how to use both a blade, and wield magic."

He continued on after a moment. "My mother never liked killing, as she herself was once a member of the Grimleal. She had been fascinated by the ideals, but had lost interest after learning just how insane my father was. Yet the last time the Grimleal had found us, she had no choice. They were personal guards sent by my father, they followed him and his ideals blindly. They were not afraid to maim in order to bring us back. I've never seen my mother fight the way she did that night. I couldn't see her blade, nor see her cast her spells. Yet she refused to allow herself nor myself to be taken back to my father, so she obliterated these Grimleal agents. There wasn't a single one left standing to report back to my father."

"Father Sky... " Lyn said breathlessly.

Jace nodded, his hands still shaking. "I am sorry for putting this all on you Lyn. You didn't ask to have all of this heaped onto you."

Lyn reached out, and took Jace's hands in her own. "Jace it's alright. I understand."

Jace slowly laced his fingers through Lyn's, a small relieved smile tugging at the corners of the tacticians mouth. "Lyn I know you're going to ask to come with me, but with all that's happened to me, it might be too dangerous."

Lyn shook her head. "Jace I'm the last member of the Lorca tribe. Everyone else, my father, and mother all perished six months ago in a bandit attack. I can still see the axes falling, and hear the screaming."

A single tear fell from Lyn's bright green eyes, and as if on instinct, Jace reached out and wiped away the tear. He didn't know how or why he had done that, yet in that moment it had felt like the right thing to do.

Silence followed, and it was a long while before Lyn spoke. "I love Sace as it's all I've ever known, but Jace there is nothing else here for me here. I want to come along with you to Bern, despite the danger these Grimleal pose to you."

It took little to no time to take everything from Lyn's small hut, and secure it to her horse. Jace's own horse who was a Chestnut named Brego, nudged his nose under Jace's hand with a soft nicker. The tactician smiled and produced an apple from within his coat. He cut the apple in half with a small knife, and fed one half to Bego and the other half to Lyn's steed.

It was several days ride to their first destination. The city of Bulgar. It sat upon the border between Sace, Lycia, and Bern, and was the center of commerce between all three countries. Although one did not see many Sacean people among the bustling city crowds. The tactician and the swordswoman made it not five steps into the bustling city, when a voice raing out.

"My heart, what vision of loveliness has graced mine eyes today?" The two of them stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the speaker. Said speaker turned out to be a knight clad in a green breastplate, who was no less than three feet away from the pair. "Would you favor me with your name? Or better yet your company?"

"What manner of land do you hail from, that you speak so freely sir knight?" Lyn asked, as Jace was doubled over with fits of silent laughter.

"You favor me with your voice even!" The green clad knight exclaimed. "I hail from Lycia, from the Caelin canton. Home to men of fire and passion!"

"It seems it would be more appropriate to say it was 'home to callow oafs with loose tongues'." Lyn retorted, forcing Jace to one knee as he desperately tried to hold back his laughter. Although he was fighting a losing battle there. When the knight walked away defeated, Jace could no longer hold himself back and was soon howling with laughter.

Several hours later, Jace still having a small case of the giggles, the tactician and the swordswoman were making their way out of the city. They had planned on visiting a small shrine dedicated to a sacred blade named the Mani Katti. They were close to the city's gates, when they spotted the green clad knight being berated by a rather stern knight in a red colored breastplate. The two had gotten close enough to hear the conversation between the two.

"If you were more serious, I would not have to be so severe! We had a mission to complete Sain!" The red haired and red armored knight growled at his green clad companion.

"Oh Kent relax, it's not as if we are on a timetable. Have a little fun." The knight named Sain replied to his far more stern companion.

Kent pinched the bridge of his nose, and growled in exasperation. It was then that Lyn cleared her throat and spoke to the red armored knight. Clearly ignoring Sain. "Pardon me, but could you move your horse? Only it's blocking the road."

"Of course, I apologise." Kent moved his horse out of the way, glaring at Sain until he had done the same.

"Thank you." Lyn said nudging her horse forward. "You at least seem to have some honor."

"Pardon me milady, but have we met before?" Kent asked.

Lyn turned to face Kent, her expression confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"Hey no fair Kent! I saw her first!" Sain cried out causing Lyn to roll her eyes, and spur her horse forward.

"Come Jace, it seems there are no honorable men among Lycia's knights." She huffed, as her horse trotted away from the two knights who were deep in argument once again. Jace on the other hand was trying to keep himself from laughing once more.

They were a short way away from Bulgar, when several horseman rode up to the pair. Something about their expressions put Jace off, and then the tactician noticed the large axe that hung from the belt of the horseman in the lead.

"Hold on the door girlie." He said in a gruff voice. "Your name is Lyndis is it not?"

In shock, Lyn almost fell from her horse. "What did you call me?"

"An absolute waste this is. A damn shame. The things I'll do for money. Ah well time to die girlie." He raised his battle axe, but was knocked off of his horse when Jace's spell hit him square in the chest. Jace lept off of Brego blade drawn, and his horse cantered off away from the battle as Jace had trained him to do.

"Get out of the way boy, and you won't get hurt." The horseman growled.

Jace's response was to raise his own blade in challenge. "You want Lyn, go through me." The fight that ensued between the horseman and the tactician had seemed like the fight with the bandit Batta. To Jace it was once again strength against skill, yet this man was nowhere near as strong as Batta had been. And Jace had more than just his blade in his arsenal, and he didn't exactly fight clean either. Twice Jace kicked the horseman in the fork of his legs, buying him time to cast a spell at the other opposing horsemen. The fight had since been joined by the Caelin knights Kent and Sain, and despite the misgivings he had about the knights personalities, Jace was very impressed at their skill. An hour later, the horsemen lay dead, the one who had started the confrontation had a hole in his chest where Jace's thunder spell had pierced his heart.

"It appears we owe you sir knights." Jace said, as Brego trotted back up to his owner.

"Think nothing of it." Kent said, dismounting his horse. "It was five on two, hardly the fairest of odds."

"Yet you followed us from the city." Lyn cut in, her tone skeptical. "What I'd like to know is why?"

"If you'll permit me to explain milady." Kent began. "My name is Kent and my overly flirtatious compatriot here." He gestured to Sain. "Is Sain. The two of us have been tasked with finding Marquess Caelin's daughter Lady Madelyn."

Lyn's look of irritation at the two knights, melted into a look of shock.

"I believe it was nineteen years ago, that she married a Sacean chieftan of the Lorca tribe." Kent continued, and Lyn's mouth fell open.

"I only ever saw a picture of Lady Madelyn within Castle Caelin, and you look very much like her." Kent said.

"My name is Lyndis, but to my parents I was just Lyn. We lived a happy life on the plains of Sace, until the bandits came. But why come looking for my mother now?"

"Lord Hausen, the Marquess of Caelin sent us to find your mother, and we only found out that Lady Madelyn had passed away days after sending a letter to Lord Hausen saying she was enjoying life on the plains with her husband and nineteen year old daughter. We were about to give up hope, when we saw you. And I knew from seeing that portrait of Madelyn, that you are the Lady Lyndis."

"That bandit horseman called you Lyndis didn't he?" Jace asked, as something did not seem to add up. "How would he know?"

"He must have been Lundgren's man." The green armored knight Sain said scowling.

"Who is this Lundgren?" Lyn was scowling now. "And why does he want me dead?"

"Lord Lundgren is Lord Hausen's younger brother." Kent explained. "When Lady Madelyn vanished, the position of heir defaulted to him. It seems he may be trying to keep it that way. Although… I did not think him capable of murder. Especially kinslaying…"

"But I have no interest in any title!" Lyn exclaimed.

Kent sighed. "That may be, however Lundgren is not the sort of man to believe that. Attempts on your life may continue unless this is stopped."

"Then we have to stop this." Jace said. "If this Lundgren isn't going to stop, we will have to stop him."

"You're right Jace." Lyn said, determination in her eyes as she turned to the knights. "I will come with you to Caelin. I wish to meet my grandfather, and Lundgren must be stopped."


	3. Chapter 3

It was several days ride to the shrine of the Mani Katti. In that time Jace had bonded closely with both the Caelin knights. He'd learned that while Sain was boisterous and flirtatious, he was horribly shy and lacked self confidence around women. Which for some odd reason translated to his over flirtation with every pretty face he came across. Kent was far more composed than his counterpart. He was a man of faith who deeply followed the teachings of Saint Elmine.

"Thus all life is sacred, and all are equal in the realm of eternity. The Book of Elmine Chapter 1, lines 2-3." Kent was saying as they rode along.

"My father taught something very similar." Lyn said softly.

"When it is time to stand before the creator, all shall be judged fairly. Teachings of Naga verse 238, line 6." Jace quoted with a small smile. "So it would seem that all teachings in one way or another are similar."

"It would indeed." Kent said as they neared the shrine. A short while later, a young woman flew up the road towards the four riders, alarming their horses.

"Help! Please help!" She shouted as she ran towards them.

"Relax fair lady." Sain said as he calmed his horse. "Pray tell what ails you?"

"A band of well armed ruffians have broken into the shrine up the road! I believe they plan on stealing the Mani Katti!"

"Steal the-! We cannot allow this to happen!"

"No Sain we will not allow this to happen." Jace said calmly, although his tone was icy.

"You should find somewhere safe until the fighting is over." Lyn told the frightened woman, who nodded in confirmation, and barricaded herself in the nearest house.

Jace had sent Kent and Sain around to the front of the shrine, while he and Lyn broke down a weakened section of the shrine. When the tactician and the swordswoman entered the fray, it was to the horrified confusion of the ruffians. The young woman was indeed correct about these ruffians being well armed. In Jace's mind they were almost on par with the Grimleal that his father had sent after him and his mother. Not the ones that his mother had ended so brutally, no the others before that, the other Grimleal that his mother had been loathe to kill. Yet these ruffians while armed like those Grimleal agents, had none of the skill of the agents his father had sent.

It had come down the the leader of these ruffians, who wanted to steal the sacred blade for himself. He was currently engaged in combat with Lyn, and in Jace's eyes Lyn would have been more than a match for any swordsman from Plegia. Lyn moved like her sword was an extention of her arm. All Jace, Kent, and Sain could do was watch in amazement as the two engaged one another, their sword arms almost completely unseen. The only indication that Lyn had emerged from the battle victorious, was when her quarry had dropped to the ground with a large of slash in his chest.

Lyn turned her head, gave her companions a winning smile, then dropped to one knee clutching her right side. Alarmed, Jace was right at her side checking the wound. "This doesn't look bad, hang on I have a Vulnerary."

Jace produced the small bottle from his dark coat, and poured some of the liquid in the bottle onto Lyn's wound. The swordswoman winced as her wound stung, but it had soon closed fully healed.

"Thank you Jace." Lyn said as the tactician helped her to her feet.

"Thank you all for protecting the Mani Katti." An elderly priest said as he made his way towards the four of them, being supported by his staff.

"We could not allow unworthy common thieves to steal the Mani Katti." Lyn said straightening up, after being helped to her feet.

"And you have my utmost thanks. And as a reward, I shall let you hold the Mani Katti." The elderly priest said, and from his robes he drew the sacred blade. He made his way over to Lyn, and placed the blade in her hands. What happened next, everyone was certain they would never forget it until the day they entered into eternity. As Lyn grasped the hilt, with the slightest movement the scabbard of the Mani Katti fell away.

"By Elmine's grace." The priest breathed in awe. "The spirits … To meet you … I never thought…"

"What's going on?" Lyn asked in awe. "The blade … It came out effortlessly."

"I never thought I would finally see your sword reach your hands." The priest breathed once more.

"My sword-? But I can't take this. This is the Mani Katti!" Lyn was awestruck.

"It is the swords wish. It is the will of the spirits. Now go Lyn, you will face many dangers on whatever quest you are on. You have a great destiny ahead of you, and you will need the power of the Mani Katti many times over before the end of it."

Everyone's attention was drawn by the sound of applause. Everyone turned, to see someone was standing in the entrance of the shrine. Jace's eyes widened at the sight of the man. He was clad in a red coat, dark pants, and boots. There was what looked like a cross between a rapier and a saber sheathed on his left side, and his hair was the same untidy dark blond as Jace's.

"Cyrus." Jace said in a tone barely above a whisper.

Lyn looked to Jace in shock. "You know this man?"

"I do indeed." Jace replied. "He's my brother."

"You didn't tell her about me?" Cyrus asked, a mockingly offended look on his face. "I am hurt."

"Oh cut the act Cyrus!" Jace snarled, and drew his blade. Cyrus responded in kind, a challenging smile on his face.

The battle that ensued between the two, was more spectacular than Lyn's battle with the leader of those ruffians. Blades clashed, spells collided in mid-air, and several times the brothers avoided decapitation. At one point, both Jace and Cyrus' blades clashed, and the force was so great that it knocked both blades from their owners hands. Jace and Cyrus leapt back, and magic gathered in their hands.

"Arcthunder!"

"Arcfire!"

The brothers launched their spells at the same time. They collided in mid-air, and exploded with the force of a horrendous thunderclap, that destroyed the windows of the shrine. Jace and Cyrus then dove for the blades belonging to the other brother. At the same time, they brought the blades up pointing them and one another's necks. For the longest time, the two brothers glared daggers at one another. Then everyone looked to the brothers in shock. As one they lowered their blades and began to laugh. After handing their respective blades back to one another, they embraced.

"Jace, what is going on?" Lyn asked shocked, yet awed by the display they had just put on.

"Lyn, Kent, Sain this is Cyrus." Jace explained. "He is my older brother."

"Your older brother?" Lyn asked still clearly shocked. "Why then did you never speak of him before?"

"A fair question Lyn." Jace said still smiling. "Do you remember what I told you about the last few agents my father sent for me and my mother?"

Lyn nodded at Jace's question. "Well I neglected to mention Cyrus, as I thought he had been killed in that last attack, and the mention of my older brother was too painful for me to talk about."

Lyn nodded in understanding. Jace knew her story, and how painful the mention of lost loved ones was. "I understand Jace, but why is he here?"

"That's actually a fair question." Jace said turning to Cyrus. "How did you find us?"

Cyrus smiled and crossed his arms. "The symbol of Naga. You always carved it into the ground whenever you felled an enemy."

Jace just stood there, eyes wide and his mouth agape. At that moment several things flashed through his mind. _How could I have been so foolish? If Cyrus can track me through that, then father's Gimleal can do the same!_

"Calm yourself brother." Cyrus said. "I've been tracking you for days, and haven't spotted any trace of father's agents. Jace sighed in relief making Cyrus laughed. "Now tell me, what's happening and where we are going."

(A/N) Firstly yes I write very fast. Then again, this is Fire Emblem and very easy to write because while I played FE 7 a long time ago, I can remember a lot of the in-game dialogue.

Secondly. In this fic, the FE 7 tactician and the Avatar from Awakening will be one in the same. Can you say 'artistic license' kids?

Thirdly Jace's brother Cyrus minus the hairstyle, I modeled after Genesis Rhapsodos from Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone's eyes widened in horrified shock when they rode into the crumbling ruins of what must have once been a bustling city.

"What in the name of Elmine happened here?" Kent asked icily, as he looked over the crumbled remains.

"Bandits." Cyrus supplied, his hand upon his blade and his tone was as cold as Kent's was. "This section of Bern is lousy with them."

"Why then doesn't King Desmond do something about them?" Kent asked mournfully.

Jace gave a short derisive bark of laughter. "King Desmond can't bother himself with the territories this far away from the Capitol. If the bandits of Bern raise a small city like this, King Desmond doesn't count it as his problem."

"Then he should be made to listen." Kent continued in his cold tone.

"Oh I agree with you Kent." Jace spoke up once more. "However the king has his head stuffed up so far south, he refuses to listen to the pleas and cries of the people who live this far away from the Capital."

"If this city was under Caelin protection, this would never be allowed to happen." Sain said through gritted teeth.

"We're too far into Bern territory for that to happen." Kent retorted.

"Quiet down everyone." Lyn said, and everyone was instantly quiet. "I thought I saw something over there."

The swordswoman pointed to the only cluster of buildings that hadn't been destroyed. Two towering figures seemed to have been accosting a much smaller one who was holding the reins of a horse. What was odd, was that Lyn seemed to recognise the smaller figure.

"Florina?" She called to the smaller figure, as she spurred her horse forward. "Florina is that you?"

Florina was an attractive young woman with long curly lilac colored hair with a timid expression. "I… I was looking for you. I heard you had left… And…" She yelped as one of the two large men grabbed her arm, and yanked her back when she made to make her way over to Lyn.

"Oi, you're not going anywhere!" He growled baring his mismatched teeth at the smaller girl. "You landed that blasted pegasus right on top of me!"

"Did you apologise Florina?" Lyn asked, her hand slowly reaching towards the Mani Katti.

"I did many times over, but they just wouldn't listen…" Florina's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Hush now, no tears Florina." Lyn said soothingly, before turning her attention back to the man who Florina had landed on. "Look she is obviously sorry, and you don't look that hurt. Can't we all just let this pass?" Lyn's voice held a slightly dangerous edge to it. "I would prefer to avoid combat if at all possible."

"You would fight us!?" The larger of the two roared. "We are Gannelon! We always win!"

"So that's why you target cities that King Desmond doesn't send soldiers to defend?" Jace snarled, he and the others having joined Lyn by this point.

"How dare you!" The man roared. "You'll pay for-!" He howled in pain and anger, when Florina dug the heel of her boot into the man's foot, and ran to Lyn's side her pegasus following close behind.

"Alright that is it!" He roared, and he tore off past a large mound of rubble making pursuit impossible. He gave a loud whistle, and a full two dozen other bandits emerged from where they had taken up positions in various hiding places. Over the rooftops they heard the gruff voice of the man Florina's pegasus had landed on call. "Kill the men, but don't you dare lay a scratch on the women!"

"We need a plan." Cyrus said, as Lyn helped Florina onto her winged horse.

"Our horses won't be able to move well over all this rubble…" Jace began before he spotted remembered Florina. He slowly made his way over to her and spoke to her as softly as Lyn had. "Florina, that is your name correct?"

The lilac haired Pegasus Knight nodded shyly. "Y-yes…"

"You're obviously an Illian Pegasus Knight correct?" Florina nodded once more. "Forgive me if this sounds rude, but you can fight correct?" She nodded. Jace turned to Kent who had dismounted his horse. "Do you have a spare lance Kent?" The red haired knight handed him a slimmer lance than what one would normally see a knight use in battle, but it seemed perfect for Florina. Jace placed the slim lance in the shy young woman's hands.

Florina took the reins of her Pegasus, and it spread its wings and took to the air. A moment later, Florina almost fell off of her flying steed. Two arrows narrowly missed Florina, and Jace swore vehemently. "Archers! I didn't even see them!"

"Pardon me, but I believe I can help!" Jace turned to see a young man several years his younger running up to the small group. There was a bow in his hand, and he had a full quiver of arrows behind his back.

"Thank Naga, an archer of our own." Jace said, as Florina's pegasus looped and twirled in the air. The girl might be shy, yet she was an amazing flyer Jace admitted to himself, turning back to the younger archer. "What's your name?"

"It's Wil, and I want to help." The archer, Wil said looking up at Florina dodging the arrows that the hostile archers continued to fire at her.

"Alright Wil, get onto the roof of that building." Jace instructed pointing to one of the structures the Ganelon bandits had left intact. "The way the sun is, nobody will be able to see you. I want your focus on the enemy archers harassing our Pegasus Knight."

The fight that raged for the next hour and a half was the second bloodiest battle that Jace and Cyrus had been a part of. The two Plegian brothers punched and kicked a bandit back and forth between them, in a vicious exchange of 'can you top this'. Cyrus ended him, by piercing his saber through the bandits heart. Kent and Sain forced two of the bandits together, having kicked them in the chest. The knights brought their longswords down in two diagonal slashes, spraying blood upon the ruined cobblestone buildings. Wil had dispatched the other archers early on, and had just caught an axeman with another arrow between the eyes. Lyn had sliced her way through any bandit foolish enough to get between her and the leader of the Ganelon bandits. The Mani Katti flashed, as she effortlessly blocked every strike the bandit attempted to catch her with. Lyn's blade then sliced through the steel weapon, causing half of the blade to sail high into the air. The bandit's eyes followed what had remained of his weapon, never seeing Florina's Pegasus dive through the air. The petite and shy Pegasus Knight drove the slim lance in her hand through the bandit's neck instantly ending his life.

"I will never doubt that woman in battle after that." Cyrus said, cleaning his saber before sheathing it once more.

"Her name is Florina." Lyn said slightly crossly to Jace's elder brother, as she sheathed the Mani Katti. "And she'll be coming with us."

"I will not argue that point." Cyrus replied. "If I am correct, in order to become a Pegasus Knight in full, a trainee must spend a full year as part of a mercenary band."

"After what just happened, she's earned her place within Lyndis' Legion." Jace said sheathing his blade.

"I'm sorry what was that Jace?" Lyn asked flabbergasted.

"Oh it's something that I came up with." Jace replied a bit embarrassed. His cheeks reddened, and he rubbed the back of his dark blond hair.

"Well I like how it sounds." Wil said as he joined the conversation.

"Um Lyn?" Florina asked shyly. Now that the battle had ended, Florina was back to her shy self. She was looking at Jace timidly. "Who is this?"

"This is Jace." The swordswoman said to the shy Pegasus Knight. "He's my tactician."

"A pleasure to meet you Florina." Jace said with a kind respectful smile.

"A pleasure to meet you as well." Florina said in her same shy voice. Jace and Kent without looking threw their arms out to cut Sain off, before the flirtatious knight horrified Florina by just being himself.

What remained of the small Bernese cities population, had honored Lyndis' Legion with as large a celebration as they could manage. While more sensible heads had attempted to talk the greatful people out of it, they had dearly insisted. The celebration had lasted long into the early hours of the next morning. Jace had paid a dear price, as he had found out just how much of a tolerance for alcohol Kent had. Cyrus was amusing children with card tricks, explaining that it was all sleight of hand.

"That means while something is happening in this hand." Cyrus began, holding a king of diamonds between the first two fingers of his left hand. The children's attention had all been fixed on the card at this point. "Something is really happening in this hand." His right hand reached out to seemingly take something from behind the ear of a young boy with mousy brown hair. When they all looked at Cyrus' right hand, the children burst into applause when he revealed a bright golden coin, which he then placed into the young mousy haired boy's hand.

The Legion set off the next day, with Jace nursing a horrible hangover. It was Lyn's turn to hold in her laughter as she helped him onto Brego. "Did you learn something last night?"

"Yes." Jace groaned. "Never challenge Kent to any drinking contests … Ever."

The sun was high in the afternoon sky, when Florina's Pegasus landed next to Lyn's horse. The petite woman looked very alarmed. "Lyn, we're being pursued!" She squealed terrified.

"Calm down Florina." Lyn said placing a comforting but firm hand on her friend's shoulder. "Did you see how many were following us?"

"Not an exact number, but it looked like there were several dozen of them." Florina's voice rose several octaves, as she explained.

"What should we do?" Kent's question was directed to Jace. "You're our tactician after all."

Jace while still feeling the effects of his hangover, was silent for a moment as several ideas raced through his mind. "We cannot fight them out here in the open. We would quickly become surrounded and overtaken. We have to run, as much as I am loathe to say it, yet we have no other choice."

And with that, everyone spurred their horses on at full gallop. Jace had suggested that Florina not take to the sky, as she would give away their position. A suggestion that Lyn fully supported. Their horses carried them on through Bern's outer territories. It was as the sun was low in the evening sky, that Lyndis' Legion had finally believed themselves to have outrun their pursuers. They had come across the ruins of an old Bernese fortress, as the sun began to sink low over the trees.

"This should suffice tonight's bed." Wil said, seemingly pleased by the discovery of the old fortress.

"Come Wil, this mildewy old fortress?" Sain asked eyeing the ruin with distaste. "Surely you jest."

"I never jest." Wil replied. "And do not call me Shirley."

"This will do fine for tonight." Lyn said nudging her horse into the old fortress. They reached a large hall within the center of the ruin, when a voice came from the shadows.

"Your pardon my lady."

Everyone looked around, and several blades became unsheathed. "Who is there?" Lyn asked.

A woman with brown hair, who was several years Jace's senior stepped slowly and hesitantly into the dying sunlight. "I… Forgive my intrusion. My name is Natalie. I am from a nearby village." She stepped closer to them, yet as she did, her left leg gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Cyrus asked helping Natalie to her feet. "Oh by Naga's grace, your leg…"

Natalie gently waved away Cyrus' worry. "It is fine. It is from a childhood illness. I cannot travel far on this leg, yet it does not bother me all that much."

"Why travel at all then?" Lyn's voice was filled with concern as she asked her question.

"I am looking for my husband." Natalie said. "I heard he was in these parts looking for work to have my leg mended. He left the village and has not returned. He is a kindhearted man, yet I think he is involved in something dangerous. I've been so worried… Here I have a sketch of him." She handed Cyrus a piece of parchment, which he unfolded. "It's not very good… His name is Dorcas. Have you seen or heard of him?"

Everyone examined the sketch closely, yet nobody had seen this man before in their lives. It was Lyn who spoke. "I am afraid that none of us have seen your husband."

"I see… Should you see him, will you tell him that Natalie is looking for him?"

"Of course." Lyn said, handing Natalie back the sketch of her husband. Just then a four note bird call rang throughout the fortress. Jace knew that call well, as his mother had taught him and Cyrus to use that specific call should they see trouble. Cyrus then came running into the ruined hall.

"Bad news." He began. "Our pursuers have caught up with us. The fortress has been surrounded."

Jace took charge of the situation at once. "Florina, I want you to stay here and keep watch over Natalie. Lyn, you and I will take the west entrance. Kent, Sain, you two keep watch at the front entrance. Cyrus, Wil, I saw a weakened section along the east wall. Keep watch on that wall in case our attackers have brains in their skulls. They may try and get in through that weak point."

Everyone nodded and proceeded towards their assigned areas to defend, with the exception of Florina who stayed where she was. Sounds of combat soon reached Jace and Lyn's ears, and they were soon under attack themselves. One of their attackers took a small throwing axe from his belt, and flung it at Lyn, who stepped to the side allowing the small axe to be embedded into the old stone.

"Lyn, doesn't that man look like the man in the sketch Natalie showed us?" Jace asked in a voice that only Lyn could, as the man reached for another throwing axe.

"Pardon me." Lyn began, just as the man had gotten his hands on another axe. "But would your name happen to be Dorcas?"

Their attacker fumbled with his axe, and looked to Lyn in shock. "How did you know my name?"

"Your wife Natalie told us." Jace said. "But what are you doing here with this scum?"

"I need money for Natalie." Dorcas said looking rather ashamed. "And this is the only way in these parts."

"Yet Natalie is here!" Lyn exclaimed. "We are defending her in this very fortress!"

"What!? Natalie is here?"

"She was worried for you so she came looking. Think Dorcas, would your actions please your wife?"

Dorcas paused for a moment, then lowered his axe. "You're right."

"What's this Dorcas?" A scrawny bandit with a face like a rat said walking up to the larger man. "Not thinkin' about ditchin' us eh?"

Dorcas looked at the rat faced bandit and scowled. "Change of plans Bones." With that, he placed his smaller throwing axe back into his belt, and split the bandit Bones' head with a much heavier axe. When Bones had dropped, Dorcas turned back to Jace and Lyn. "We have some bandits to kill."

The battle raged on, and the bodies of the Ganelon bandits continued to pile up, making it ever more difficult for the bandits to press their attack. It was at the moment the sun slipped below the trees that someone from the Ganelon bandits ordered a retreat. Exhausted, nobody from the Legion attempted to pursue the retreating bandits. Jace drew several signs of Naga in the ground before lighting several funeral pyres.

As Jace arrived back inside the remains of the great hall, he heard Dorcas speaking with Lyn. "Natalie and I have been speaking. We have agreed that if you should accept I would aid you in whatever quest you are on. You have helped my wife, now I must repay you."

Lyn turned to Jace, and to the tactician it seemed as if Lyn was leaving the final decision up to him. "I never turn down free help if it is offered Lyn."

That seemed good enough for both Dorcas and Natalie. "Just please keep him safe."

That night, Jace had another odd dream. It was both blurry and crystal clear, like the dream he had before waking up in Lyn's hut. _He was fighting someone powerful, that beautifully forged blade in Jace's hand. And there was someone else fighting at Jace's side. A strong man with blue hair, who seemed just as old as the tactician. There was a blade in his hands, that radiated power, and Jace had thought he knew that blade, although he knew not where he knew it from. Jace ended the powerful enemy, by slashing them across the chest._

 _The scene then changed. He was on top of something far into the air. By his side was Lyn and the strong blue haired man, and two other men Jace had never met before, yet seemed certain at the same time he knew them. There was another blue haired man who towered over the first. In his hands he carried a large axe, that seemed far too large and heavy for any normal man to wield. Yet this man was holding it with no effort. To his side was another man with a kind face and bright red hair. There was another powerful weapon his his hands as well. A large broadsword, that was two hand widths wide. Lyn stood on Jace's left, the Mani Katti in her left hand, and a second blade that could have been the Mani Katti's twin in her right. In his dream, Jace gripped that same beautifully made blade in his right hand. Somehow he had a feeling that this was going to be the last time he would see any of them. He began to walk forward towards a figure in front of him. The figure kept his face hidden under a hooded dark cloak, and from deep within that coat, drew the same beautifully made sword that was in Jace's hands. Jace felt a surge of anger course through him. Almost as if Jace felt that whoever this person was, had no right to have that blade in their hands._

 _The hooded figure raised its blade, and brought it down. With no effort, Jace brought his own blade up, knocking his foe's blade out of their hands. It arced high into the air, and his foe followed the weapon's arc. Now was Jace's chance, he plunged that wonderful blade into his foe's heart, and at once both he and his enemy began to fade from this world._

Jace's eyes opened, and he sat upright in his bedroll. "What in the name of Naga was that dream all about?" He sighed, before laying down upon his bedroll once more. Questions raced through his mind about what he had seen for hours, until finally he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Their brief reprieve from Gannelon only lasted the night in the old fortress, and long enough to see Natalie safely to her village. Lyndis' Legion soon found themselves under relentless pursuit for the next several days. They had been lucky so far in the minor skirmishes they found themselves in when several of the Gannelon bandits had caught up. Only a few scratches, nothing serious. The Legion had decided to make haste for the Lycian border, as once they crossed it, the bandits would no longer be able to give further chase.

"It's not much farther." Sain said, as his horse neighed in protest. "Not much farther, only a mile or two and we'll be safe."

"Lyn, Jace." Florina's Pegasus had landed in front of their horses, which were as exhausted as Sain's. "Bad news. The bandits have a small force directly ahead of us."

Jace swore. "Damnit! And the bulk of their forces are not fifteen minutes ride behind us. We are right between a rock and a hard place."

"There's more." The petite knight continued. "There's a cleric and her escort in a forest clearing not too far from here."

"Do you think they could help?" Lyn asked.

"They didn't attack when I flew over, I believe that is a good thing." Florina's hands began to shake nervously.

"Alright Florina, calm down we can handle this." Jace said encouragingly. Moments later, Florina and her Pegasus were in the air.

"We can?" Lyn asked in confusion.

"Odds are that cleric's escort is a mage." He explained. "We need all the help we can get with these bandits."

Lyn nodded in understanding. "Alright, let's go talk to them. But we should be quick about it, the main Gannelon force is right behind us."

Lyn and Jace set off for the clearing Florina had pointed out, but not before ordering Kent, Sain, and Dorcas to watch their rear flank in case Gannelon's main force had caught up with them. The cleric was about the same size as Florina, with her pink hair braided into two pigtails. She let out a shriek that seemed too loud for a normal human, when a bandit archer revealed himself.

"Erk, do something!" She screamed, as she hid behind her red robed companion.

The red robed person named Erk, who turned out to be a boy of around Wil's age, rolled his eyes and brushed his long purple hair out of his face. Magic began to gather in Erk's hand, and before the archer knew what was going on, a large fireball had reduced the offending bandit to a smoldering charred corpse.

The pink haired cleric prodded the corpse with her staff, as she gave a disgusted huff. "Did you have to be that brutal?"

Erk rolled his eyes, before he noticed Lyn and Jace. He began to gather magic into his hands once more, before Jace spoke. "Peace friend. We are not among the numbers of those bandits. We are attempting to get away from them."

"So you need help!" The pink haired cleric said in a loud and bright voice. "Let's give them a hand Erk!"

Erk groaned, and rubbed his temples. "Elmine's grace, I'll be glad when this assignment is over."

The four note bird call that signalled danger rang over the trees, and Lyn and Jace readied their blades for a fight not a moment before half a dozen bandits tore into the forest clearing. The Cleric shrieked once again, making everyone including the bandits wince and cover their ears. She hid behind Erk once again, screaming at Erk to "GET THEM!"

The surrounding trees and the grass of the forest clearing were soon stained red. Jace switched from fighting back to back with Lyn, to standing back to back with Erk dual casting spells. "Who taught you to cast?" The purple haired mage asked.

"My mother." Jace responded as an arrow flew between them. It missed the both of their heads by inches. "And speaking of that, Arcthunder!" A large bolt of lightning shot from Jace's hand, and disintegrated the archer's head.

"By Elmine, what was that!?" The young mage asked astonished at Jace's spell.

"An Arc-spell." Jace explained as he shot off another Arcthunder at a bandit swordsman who was about to flank Lyn. The powerful thunder spell vaporized the bandits arms, and Erk finished him with his fire spell. "Every mage in Akaneia learns to utilize Arc-spells. Do they not teach them in Etrua?"

Erk's eyes widened in shock. "How did you know I was Etruan?"

"It's the way you cast." Jace said, as both his blade and the Mani Katti blocked an overhead strike from a Gannelon axeman. Erk shot a small fireball that pierced the man's chest, and came out through his back.

"You could tell I was Etruan by the way I cast a spell?" Erk was still clearly shocked.

"I've had extensive magical training, the majority of said training was while I was in Etrua." Jace explained, as the two bantered as the battle raged.

"Who was your instructor?" Erk asked, as Florina flew overhead with Wil riding with her atop her flying steed, firing arrows down at the frontal force of the Gannelon bandits.

"My mother. She's the one who taught me and my elder brother to use Arc-spells." Jace said firing another Arcthunder spell.

"I only know of two others that are able to cast Arc-spells." Erk said. "Lord Pent the Mage General of Etrua, and Raja Ebonhart."

At that Jace smiled. "And it is funny you should mention Raja Ebonhart, as that woman is my mother."

The battle had ended, Lyndis' Legion had crossed the Bern/Lycian border, and everyone with the exception of Erk and the cleric who was named Sera were as exhausted as their horses. Jace had slumped over Brego in his saddle, as worn and horribly exhausted, the Legion had crossed into the closest Lycian province.

Jace had collapsed into the bed of the small in the Legion had purchased for the evening. Jace and Cyrus had a small amount of gold, which they had pooled together in order to pay for the rooms the Legion were staying in that evening.

"Jace?" The tactician's eyes snapped open when he recognized Lyn's voice. He had been seconds away from fading, and sleeping away his physical exhaustion when the swordswoman had entered his room.

"Lyn…" Jace groaned as he sat up, his muscles protesting this action. "What can I do for you?"

"The previous night, it appeared that you had an odd dream." She sat on the edge of his bed as she said this. Her green eyes were filled with concern, as she gazed into his deep crimson ones.

Jace was shocked, that for some reason Lyn had been awake when Jace's nightmare had woken him up. "What… What were you doing awake?" He asked, is shock evident in his voice.

"I could not sleep. While we were being chased the day before, Kent told me that my grandfather had taken ill recently which is why he sent both him and Sain. Grandfather wanted to make peace with his family in case these were to be his final days." Lyn explained. There was a moment of silence before she continued. "I saw that you had woken, and exclaimed about a dream. Yet to me it seemed more like a nightmare."

"It was an odd dream to say the least Lyn." Jace said. And he lost track of time, as he recounted everything from the dream he had, where he was the figure who had been run through with that beautiful sword, to the dream he had the night previous. The dream where he and that strong blue haired man had fought that powerful dark mage, then had shifted to where he had run that dark figure through the heart, and both he and the dark figure began to fade.

"Father sky…" Lyn was as shocked as Jace had been, when Lyn had said she knew the tactician had his recurring nightmare.

"I don't know weather these dreams are prophetic, or if they're just nightmares…" Jace said exhaustedly, as his head came to rest against Lyn's shoulder.

Lyn, not knowing why began to run her hands through the tactician's now untidy dark blond hair. "It's Just a nightmare Jace." She said, as Jace closed his eyes. He was fast asleep, and did not hear what Lyn said next. "If this dream is indeed prophetic, I won't allow you to vanish from this world. You are far too important to me."


	6. Chapter 6

Jace woke to a bit of a shock the next morning. Lyn had curled around the tactician in a protective manner. One hand had wrapped about his waist, the other had curled into his untidy hair, as if she had fallen asleep running her fingers through it.

"I see you're awake now." Lyn said softly. Jace looked up, and saw the Sacean swordswoman smiling down at him.

"Hey there." Jace replied, his cheeks flushing in an embarrassed manner. "Did um… Did we fall asleep like this?"

"You fell asleep shortly after explaining that recurring dream of yours to me." Lyn explained. "I fell asleep shortly afterwards."

Jace let out a soft sigh of relief. Nothing had happened between the two of them. It was how ill rumors were born, a Lycian noble bedding a foreigner? Nobody would ever hear the end of it. Yet there was a small part of the tactician, that had wished that something had happened. He was snapped from his thoughts by three sharp raps upon his door. Both the swordswoman and the tactician sat up, gave one another a quick glance before quickly making their way off the bed, and straightening themselves up. A moment later, the door swung open and Kent strode several paces inside.

"Lord Jace, Lady Lyndis I bring news." The Caelin knight began in a respectful manner.

"Good news I hope." Jace said, attempting to smooth his hair.

"Indeed. Marquess Araphen has agreed to lend us supplies and a retinue of soldiers." Kent continued.

"That will made the journey to Caelin far easier." Lyn said, a small smile at the corner of her lips.

"It seems good." Jace's tone had a note of skepticism. "But I sense a catch coming on. There is always a catch."

"The Marquess of Araphen wishes to meet granddaughter of Marquess Caelin. Apparently, the Marquess was quite fond of Lady Madelyn." Kent explained.

"That…" Jace began as he and Lyn looked at one another. "Is not what I was expecting."

"Nor I now that I think about it." She replied before turning back to Kent. "Thank you Kent, let's go meet Marquess Araphen."

Kent nodded and he was followed out of the small room by Jace and Lyn. If the red armored knight had suspected anything had happened between the tactician and the swordswoman, to his credit, and their relief he said nothing about it. It seemed like a good night's sleep was just what Brego needed, as Jace's steed seemed very happy to see his rider.

"Do you feel better?" Jace asked his horse, who nickered happily and nudged his rider's had. "I will take that as a 'yes'." Jace produced an apple from his dark coat, and sliced it in half with a small knife. The larger half he gave to Brego, and kept the smaller half for himself. Jace chewed on the piece of fruit as they made their way down the main road to Castle Araphen. Then as he looked towards the castle, Jace's stomach dropped.

There was smoke coming from the castle, and Jace was not the only one who saw it. The people of Araphen screamed as they began to barricade themselves inside their homes. Although there was a rather large group heading up the main road. Jace rolled his eyes, as he just _knew_ this force would be hostile. "Oh by Naga's grace, I am going to send the all screaming down into the mouth of hell."

Jace drew his blade, and Brego cantered up to match pace with Lyn's steed. Lyn already had the Mani Katti drawn, and had her focus upon the large force coming down the opposite end of the main street. Neither of them were paying attention to the figure perched upon the rooftop right above them. They still did not notice him, until his body landed right in front of their steeds making them rear up in frightened surprise.

"By Naga where did he come from?!" Jace exclaimed as he calmed Brego.

"Look there's an arrow in this man's back." Lyn said calming her own steed, and pointing to their would-be assailant's corpse. There was indeed a small wooden shaft poking out of the man's back.

Jace cast his eyes around for their rescuer, and moments later found who he was looking for. He was another Sacean like Lyn. What little of his green hair he could see fell slightly past his ears, everything else was covered in an odd red bandanna. The man held a shortened bow in one hand, and rode astride a muscular brown colored horse. The rider nudged his horse forward and up to the tactician and the swordswoman.

"Are you the Lady Lyndis?" He asked in a slight monotone.

"Ah, yes you have my thanks." Lyn said still slightly shocked at this turn of events. Seemingly satisfied, the nomad turned his horse and began to head off. "Wait, why did you help me?"

The nomad stopped his horse, and turned back to face Lyn. "I was under the impression I was assisting another Sacean."

"But I am of Sace. I am Lyn of the Lorca tribe."

The nomad's eyes widened slightly. "The Lorca… There were survivors?"

"Yes. Although it is only I." Lyn said, as her eyes fell slightly.

"I see… I am Rath of the Kutolah tribe under service to Marquess Araphen." The nomad Rath said. "That force up the street has the main road to the castle blocked, but I know of a secret way into the castle. There are several switches hidden around the city. One at the north end, the second is at the foot of the castle. The third is at the west gate, and the passage to the castle is hidden in the barracks in the south gate."

Jace sighed and nodded, as a plan began to form in his mind. "Alright, well then that main force is blocking our way to one of those switches. We'll have to break through them in order to reach that switch. I don't want to risk this again, but it worked so well yesterday."

Rath tilted his head, as he stared at Jace. "What is he talking about?"

"He's a tactician." Lyn responded. "My tactician, and he is very good at what he does."

Jace felt his cheeks redden, as he continued to think. "Yes, we'll do that again. Wil, I want you on Florina's Pegasus again. Rain arrows down upon them and get them to scatter. Kent, Dorcas go with them. They'll need muscle to back them up. Erk, Sera, Sain, you three go to the west gate. Lyn, Rath, Cyrus, and myself will take the switch at the north gate. Everyone be safe, and may Naga watch over you."

Everyone nodded and split up. Florina was still shy about having to share her Pegasus with Wil, yet took to the air without protest. As Jace's small group headed to the north end of Araphen, he heard surprised screams coming from the larger force. It seemed like his tactic was working, when the four were hailed by a young man about Cyrus' age. He had windswept light brown hair, and a large red scarf that went down to below his knees.

"Pardon me, I don't mean to startle you, however it seems that you could use some help." The young man said.

"And just who are you?" Cyrus asked, his saber drawn.

"Peace friend. My name is Matthew, and I am what one would call… Well a Troubleshooter." Matthew explained.

"A thief then." Cyrus said bluntly, and his grip on his blade tightened.

"...Yes that is correct, however I m not here to take from your force. I am simply offering my help… For a small price…"

"Today is just full of catches isn't it?" Jace sighed, as he pinched the bridge of his his nose between his right thumb and forefinger. "What's your offer then?"

"One hundred silver eagles, and ownership of whatever I can take from your enemies with monetary value." Matthew said.

"Done." Jace said, and extended his hand. Matthew shook it in satisfaction.

"Jace are you certain of this?" Cyrus asked, as the two brothers began to engage a man in a heavy set of plate armor with a large lance in his hands.

"Do you see a single Araphen soldier?" Jace asked, and his elder brother shook his head. "Nor do I. I do not know why the Marquess hasn't sent any of his men to defend his city. However, if he is planning on double crossing us, and handing us over to Lundgren… Number one, I will end him myself. And number two, I will allow Matthew to rob the Marquess' coffers blind."

"Fair enough brother." Cyrus replied, as the Plegian siblings attempted to make a scratch on the man in heavy armor with their blades, to no avail.

"Pardon me." Matthew said, dashing past the brothers. His sword arm was so fast, Jace suspected for a moment that Matthew had Sacean training. A moment later, the man in heavy plate armor toppled to the ground. First his torso, then this legs. As the thief stood, Jace noticed a very heavy blade in his hands. A blade he recognised as an Armorslayer.

"You have my thanks Matthew." Jace said, before he pushed the thief aside and launched an Arcthunder spell at another heavy armored opponent.

"I believe that makes us even." The thief said, before he handed Jace the Armorslayer. "I found that blade a few moments ago. A bit of a lucky break if you ask me, but it is a little to heavy for my tastes."

"A bit too heavy for me as well." Jace said, as he handed Cyrus the blade, who took it with no complaint. An hour later, the five of them had been joined by Wil, Florina, Kent, and Dorcas. They had broken through the main force with very little effort, and had flipped the switch at the base of the castle.

By this point, the larger portion of Lyndis' Legion had arrived at the south gate. They were met by another man with heavy plate armor, and a thick wooden lance in his hands. Lyn stepped forwards to challenge him, but Cyrus flung an arm out stopping the swordswoman in her tracks.

"Allow me Lady Lyndis." Cyrus said unsheathing the large Armorslayer. Cyrus was indeed strong enough to wield the Armorslayer, yet the blade was nothing like the saber he was used to wielding. Several times the lance wielding knight had wounded Cyrus, who was bleeding from several deep gashes on his chest and sword arm.

"Cyrus pull back!" Jace yelled, firing a thunderbolt at the lance to knock it away from dealing his elder brother a seemingly fatal blow.

"I am alright Jace." Cyrus panted, as he parried another strike from the knight. As he assured his brother, Cyrus became shrouded in a warm white lite, and his wounds began to heal themselves. Sera was in the midst of praying to Elmine, holding her staff in both hands. Jace said a prayer of thanks to both the saint of light and the dragon of creation, yet a moment of later, a spike of fear shot through him. Both the knight and Cyrus roared with effort, and swung their weapons.

Cyrus' Armorslayer hit the tip of his foe's lance. The heavier blade sliced neatly through the metal pike, neatly along the heavy wooden shaft, and cleanly through his foe's plate armor. Cyrus had sliced him in half along the waist. Breathing heavily, Cyrus placed the Armorslayer back into it's scabbard. "Can we proceed into the castle now?"

"Indeed we can." Rath said pressing his hand upon a stone in the south gate barracks. The stone then moved back into the wall, and a large section of the stone wall split apart to reveal a large hallway lit by torch light. The Legion led by Rath, made their way down along the stone passageway. They emerged within the castle which by that time, had whatever fire set to it extinguished. Several soldiers led them into the Araphen throne room, where the Marquess was waiting for them. He seemed to be in his late forties, or perhaps his early fifties from the looks of him. He had the look of a man who had a little too much love of food and drink.

"Ah Lady Lyndis." Marquess Araphen said, a sneer in his voice.

Jace knew just by the tone of the Marquess' voice what was coming. "Oh here we go…"

"It pains me to say this." Under his breath Jace muttered the word 'bullshit'. "But in light of this attack by agents of your Granduncle Lord Lundgren, I will be rescinding my offer of aid. My fortunes and people have suffered enough due to this little inheritance dispute."

"You promised us aid." Cyrus growled, his left hand now gripping his saber so tightly his knuckles were white.

"And so I did. Yet that was before I saw that Lord Hausen's granddaughter was so … _Tainted_ by the blood of her Sacean father coursing through her veins." Marquess Araphen continued, his sneer growing wider. This remark was far over the line. Kent, Sain, Jace, and Cyrus drew their blades to point them at the Marquess.

"How _dare_ you!" Jace spat through gritted teeth. "We save your city. Save your people, and _this_ is how you repay us!?"

The Marquess' eyes flashed with anger. "And just who are you? Some foreign tactician? Tell me boy, what brings you here with this Sacean mongrel?"

"That is of no concern of yours you-" Jace began to answer, before he was cut off by Lyn.

"That's enough Jace." Lyn began placing a hand that gripped his blade. "Even if he would reconsider, I will _not_ accept aid from one who disparages my heritage. Come, we will seek aid from a more honorable Lycian Marquess." With that, and after sheathing Jace's blade, she turned on her heel and strode away. Her Legion followed close behind.

"Pah! Prideful whelp." Marquess Araphen growled. "If she had shed but a single tear, I would have aided her. We Lycian nobles will never understand those prideful savages."

"Is that truly what you think of us?" Rath said, as he looked at the Marquess with anger flashing in his eyes.

"Oh! Rath, I had forgotten your presence. Of course my comments do not reflect upon you, as you have always served me well."

"I see, it does not matter where we are from, as long as we bend our knee to you." Rath spat.

"What are you saying?" The Marquess asked, with his brows knitting together.

"You would never understand." Rath said tearing the crest of Araphen from his clothing, and throwing it at the elder man's feet. "My service ends here." With that he turned and strode from the throne room, to follow after Lyn.

Lyndis' Legion was several miles away from Castle Araphen, before Jace turned to Matthew. "How much were you able to get away with?"

"Plenty." The thief said smiling deviously.

"Define 'plenty'." Jace said in an attempt at a cross tone, yet he could not hide the vindictively pleasured smile.

"Well let's just say Araphen may not be a province in Lycia for much longer." Matthew replied, matching Jace's smile.

Jace was about to speak, when he was cut off by Rath. "Lyn of the Lorca, wait a moment!"

Lyn's eyes narrowed, yet her expression became neutral when she recognized the Sacean nomad.

"Oh, Rath of the Kutolah." Lyn said.

"I have ended my service to the Marquess of Araphen, and I would like to aid you in your cause." Rath said keeping his voice in his neutral monotone.

"Of course Rath, it would be an honor to have you with us."

Several days after the Legion had all but robbed the Marquess of Araphen blind, they were riding through Kathelet. One of the smaller Lycian provinces. Cyrus had taken a light set of armor that Matthew had pilfered, and had donned it under his red coat. Florina had several slightly thicker lances strapped to her Pegasus in several partial scabbards. Jace rode up at the front of the company alongside Lyn and Erk, the latter of whom Jace was in conversation with about the topic of magic.

"I know from seeing you in combat, that you're highly skilled in Anima magic. Yet you said you were from this country of Plegia. And I wonder if they teach their mages Elder magic on top of Anima." Erk spoke in curiosity.

"While I was born in Plegia, I was not raised there. Therefore I do not know. However, my mother did teach us some Elder magic, so I would think that Plegian mages do know both sets of magic." Jace both explained, and speculated.

Erk thought for a moment. "And what about Light magic? Were you taught by anyone to use that?"

Jace shook his head. "No I was not. Light magic has more to do with faith, rather than knowledge. Now that being said, I know of no mages who practice the teachings of Naga that utilize Light magic." The tactician paused for a moment as he thought of why this was. "Perhaps that would be due to Light magic being linked to the teachings of Saint Elmine. And with that being said, I do not believe that I nor my brother would be able to cast it."

"Why is that?" The question came not from Erk, but from Lyn.

"Cyrus and I are the offspring of two Grimleal, who worship the dragon of death and destruction." Jace replied. "I know that Light magic is based more upon faith as I said a moment before, yet I fear due to being guilty by association, should I attempt to cast Light magic, that it would backfire horribly."

Erk nodded in understanding. They had just entered a small village with the sun just having cleared the tops of the trees. When a small figure ran towards them. Everyone gripped their weapons, yet relaxed when the small figure turned out to be a small boy of eleven or twelve years of age. His hair was a shockingly light shade of blue, and his eyes were almost the exact shade of red that Jace's were. He was shaking from head to foot, clearly frightened out of his wits.

"Please! You have to help her! They've taken her!" The small boy yelled frantically.

Lyn dismounted her horse, and gently but firmly placed her hands upon the boy's shoulders. "Calm down. Who has taken who?"

"My-my sister Ninian. She's been taken by some wicked men. Please, you have to help me." They small boy said.

"And help we will." Sain said having ridden to the front of the company. "You said your sister has been taken young man? Well fear not, Lyndis' Legion shall aid you in retrieving your kidnapped and beloved sister!"

Jace smiled and shook his head. He found Sain amusing, and admired his bravery and zeal. Of course Sain was indeed correct in this situation. They had been asked for help, and there was no way they were going to refuse to help this young boy.

"There you are Nils." A deep raspy voice reached their ears, that belonged to a man whose face was hidden under a black robe with red trimmings. On the center of his robes was a red circle with a black wolf's head with his fangs bared.

"By Naga, you're Black Fang." Jace whispered.

"Indeed." The robed man said. "Now hand the boy over or die."

Jace and Lyn's response, was to move in front of the boy named Nils with their blades drawn. In that same instance, a tall man with pure white robes, and long blond hair down to his waist strode up to also bar the dark robed man's path. "In Elmine's name, stay this madness. This young boy could not have possibly anything wrong."

"Step aside priest, this is of no concern of yours." The dark robed man growled. "Come Nils, it is time to return to Lord Nergal."

While hidden still behind Lyn, Jace, and this newcomer, Nils took a step back in evident fear. "No! I am never going back!"

"You will not be taking Nils anywhere." Lyn said, in an ice cold manner, pointing the Mani Katti at the dark robed man. "Free his sister now."

The dark robed man responded, by forming a dark ball of energy in his right hand. Jace recognised it as a Flux spell. Elder magic. Having been taught in Elder magic, Jace and Cyrus formed a Flux spell of their own in order to counter the dark mage. Their spells never made it, as the priest who had joined them, began to chant to Elmine.

" _By your grace Saint Elmine, grant me the strength to destroy the darkness in front of me!_ " An orb of light shot from the priest's hand, struck the dark mage in the chest. The orb of the Flux spell dissipated, and the dark mage simply collapsed to the ground dead.

If Lyndis' Legion thought that it was only the single shaman who was responsible for kidnapping Nil's sister, they were sorely mistaken. The battle that had raged, was so lengthy that the sun was past its highest point in the afternoon sky by the time it was finally. There was only one shaman who was guarding the entrance to a small fortress. This shaman was casting Flux spells was casting Flux spells in a rapid manner. It was all the Legion could do to get out of the way, let alone counter attack.

"Florina, into the air! Distract this Naga forsaken son of a bitch!" Jace roared, as he ducked under another Flux orb. The petite Pegasus Knight was soon high into the air, feigning dives and strikes at the dark mage. Jace's distraction worked, as by the fifth time Florina feigned a strike, the shaman finally took his attention off of everyone else.

"Arcwind!" Cyrus and Jace shouted, swiping their hands in an identical manner. Two blades of win arced through the air, and seemingly vanished when they hit the shaman. For a long moment, it seemed as if nothing had happened. Then the shaman collapsed into three separate pieces. His head, torso and legs all collapsed in separate pieces.

Nils then ran ahead of everyone else, and into the fortress. Lyn and Jace were only moments behind the young blue haired boy. "Ninian! Ninian! Where are you!?"

There was a response, yet not from a woman as everyone had been expecting. "Pardon me, but are you looking for this young woman here?" A young man's voice rang out from the darkness of one of the many corridors of the unlit interior of the fortress.

"Who is there?" Jace called, still gripping his blade. He then let out a gasp when someone came into view. He was a young man dressed in light blue armor, with bright red hair. The same man that Jace had seen in his dreams several nights previous. In his arms, was a young woman who had to undoubtedly be Ninian. She seemed to be about Lyn and Jace's age, her hair was the same light blue color as Nils, and it fell well past her waist. She had a peaceful look on her face, as if she was asleep.

(A/N) *Deep breath* Owwwww my fingers hurt from writing this chapter!

Secondly, to the guest who left me the review on how light magic was viewed between those who follow the teachings of Naga, and those who follow the teachings of Saint Elimine, I hope that has cleared that up. Next to answer your question about recruitment. Yes, I plan on recruiting the other two lords. This story is going all the way through Fire Emblem 7, and Fire Emblem Awakening. The sacred weapons will be involved, including the Sword of Seals. Now the only reason the Sword of Seals is going to be in this story, is due to the future children deal. I don't want to say too much about that, as my fiance reads these fics, and has regrettably has not played a Fire Emblem game. So trying to avoid major spoilers on that little detail.

And thirdly, if anyone else has questions, concerns, or ideas, feel free to say so in a review.


	7. Chapter 7

"I am Eliwood. Son of Marquess Pheare." The young man with bright red hair said, as Nils and Sera looked Ninian over.

"She's unharmed." The cleric said in a reassuring tone to the young boy. "Simply asleep is all Nils."

"You have my thanks Eliwood." Lyn said stepping forward. "My name is Lyn of the Lorca tribe."

"Lorca…" Eliwood was momentarily lost in thought. "Wait… Lorca? There were survivors?"

Lyn's eyes fell when next she spoke. "Just myself…"

Not knowing why, Jace reached out and laced the fingers of his left hand with the fingers of her right. Lyn made no attempt to pull herself away from the small gesture, her fingers contracted around his own making the tactician's cheeks flush lightly. This small exchange was not lost on the Phearen noble, who decided not to bring it up, and instead asked the question that the two had heard countless times since beginning this journey.

"What brings you to Lycia?" Eliwood asked.

"Lord Hausen." Jace replied.

"The Caelin Marquess?" Eliwood asked in confusion. A moment later, something clicked inside the young man's mind. "Oh by Elmine's grace, yes I've heard of this inheritance dispute happening within Caelin."

"You will not impede our progress will you Eliwood?" Lyn asked, and while there was worry in her voice, Jace detected a hint of ice.

"No, the other Lycian provinces have agreed to not assist Lundgren in this small dispute." Eliwood explained, and the two released a breath they hadn't known they had been holding. "Unfortunately, this means that I cannot aid you in your quest. Seeing as Lundgren could consider that as an act of war should anyone from Lycia assist you."

"I had a feeling that was going to happen." Jace said with a sigh.

"No matter Jace." Lyn replied. "Perhaps we will find aid from the soldiers of Caelin, who have seen Lundgren has gone mad."

"Worry not Lyn, we'll defeat Lundgren and save Lord Hausen." Jace said, and his fingers contracted around hers.

The Legion departed the old fortress, and shortly afterwards parted ways with Eliwood. Nils and Ninian felt they would be safer traveling with the Legion to Caelin, and so rode alongside them for the next three days. They were well into Caelin territory by that time, yet they still had several days ride to reach the castle.

Jace had been lost in thought throughout the last several days. He wondered what he was going to do after this dispute with Lundgren had ended. Jace had said he was going to further his knowledge in Wyvern tactics, yet now he was unsure he wanted to go. Unsure if he wanted to leave Lyn's side. And that raised another question. Why did he wish to stay with the swordswoman? Yes there had been several moments between the two, that had suggested there was something between them. _But that is because we are friends_. The tactician thought, a moment before another thought and realization hit him.

He was snapped out of his revelation, when he heard Lyn's horse neigh in fright. His head whipped around, and he saw Lyn's steed rearing up, and Lyn not on the saddle. Directly in front of her frightened steed, was a large bolt a foot wide, and about four feet in length. To his immense relief, Lyn stood a moment later completely unharmed. Ninian had knocked Lyn off of her horse a moment before the bolt had struck. Ninian's action had saved both the swordswoman, and her steed.

"Father sky what was that!?" Lyn exclaimed, she had drawn the Mani Katti the moment she was back on her feet.

"A Ballista bolt." Kent said, his tone well below freezing. "Lundgren is getting desperate indeed."

"What is a Ballista?" Jace reminded himself that Lyn, having spent her entire life until now on the Sacean plains, had never heard of the siege weapon before.

"Simply put, it is a very large bow." Jace said, as he stared at the bolt embedded into the ground. The large tactical part of his mind was immediately at work, calculating where the bolt had been fired from. He was silent for several moments, before his head turned in the direction of a small mountain. "The Ballista is on the other side of that mountain."

"Um Jace…?" Florina's Pegasus cantered up to him, the Pegasus Knight's eyes were downcast as she was still not comfortable around him. Not that Jace minded much, she would sort out her shyness in her own time. "I… I could take Wil on Huey and do a fly-over. And… And maybe we could take that Ballista as our own…"

Jace could hardly believe that shy little Florina had volunteered herself for this. His mouth hung open in shock for a moment, before he closed it, cleared his throat, and spoke once more. "Alright, but careful and try to stay out of that Ballista's range."

Wil hurried over, and was soon seated behind the lilac haired Pegasus Knight. A moment later, the two were in the air, as Huey spread his large white wings and took off. The Pegasus flew high over the mountain, and Jace could just make out Wil notching an arrow.

"Was that really shy little Florina?" Jace asked turning to Lyn. Her eyes still held a slight look of surprise, but her mouth was split into a wide smile.

It was barely a half an hour later, that the rest of the Legion had caught up to Florina and Wil. The archer was manning the newly captured Ballista, but had not fired any of the spare bolts. The cause for Wil holding his fire was evident, yet raised questions in Jace's mind. The soldiers standing several hundred yards away, while having their weapons drawn had not moved.

"Caelin soldiers." Kent said scowling. The red armored knight spurred his steed forward, until he was halfway between the Legion and the Caelin forces. "Soldiers of Caelin, who among you gathered do you name as your Captain?"

The Caelin forces parted in formation, as a soldier in heavy plate armor strode up to the front of the Caelin formation. The Caelin Captain looked to be in his mid or late forties, his dark hair was neatly slicked back, and there was a sneer upon his face not unlike the sneer worn by Marquess Araphen. "Well, well, well. Sir Kent, this is rather unfortunate. I had hoped you had more brains in your head, yet it seems I was mistaken." The Captain's sneer grew, as he tutted several times. "Aligning yourself with that Sacean mongrel, instead of Caelin's true heir Lord Lundgren. It pains me to do this, but seeing as you and Sir Sain are now traitors, I am left with no choice. Men, kill them."

Everyone in the Legion drew their weapons. Erk began to gather magic in his hands, Lucius began to pray to Elmine for strength, and Wil trained the Ballista upon the Captain at the front of the Caelin formation. Yet when the Caelin soldiers advanced, it was not in a manner that meant they were attacking. Every last Caelin soldier marched past Kent, right up to the rest of the Legion, until the two dozen men had partially surrounded them. As one, the soldiers turned their backs to the Legion, and leveled their weapons to the man they had just abandoned.

The heavy armored Captain's eyes had widened with shock. "Traitors… Traitors all of you! Lord Lundgren will take all of your heads!"

Jace had pinched the bridge of his nose, as the man continued to rant. "Lyn, may we end this please?"

"Do as you will Jace." Lyn said icily.

The tactician signalled to Wil, and dropped his arm. The signal to fire. The large bolt fired from the Ballista sailed over everyone's head, past Kent's who did not move, and the bolt came to rest in the ground after burying itself into the Captain's neck, and pinning him to the ground having instantly ended the man's life.

An hour after setting the funeral pyre for the Caelin Captain, and the former Ballista gunner, the Legion and two dozen soldiers had all gathered within a small fortress. Kent was scowling, and pacing while tapping his armored forearms with the tips of his fingers. "It is as you feared Lord Jace. Lundgren is indeed becoming serious in his attempts to stop Lady Lyndis from reaching the castle."

"What are we going to do Kent?" Jace asked, with a scowl to match the red armored knight.

"Lundgren has taken full advantage of Lord Hausen's illness. He's taken full control of Caelin's army and finances. He has every single approach to the castle blocked off with a full battalion of soldiers, with one exception."

"And that exception would be what Kent?" Lyn asked, her brow knitted together.

"Here." Kent pointed to a map of Elibe, with his finger resting on a spot close to where Castle Caelin was located. "General Egalar's castle. He is a major leader in the Caelin army, but he is honorable. I cannot see him joining forces with Lundgren, but something does not feel right about this."

"Agreed." Jace said stepping up to Kent's side and looking to the spot the knight had pointed out. "If Lundgren has not deployed any soldiers here, then there is a high possibility that this is a trap. Or worse than that, Lundgren has found a way to coerce Egalar into helping him."

Jace took a deep breath, and sighed. "It does not seem like we have any other options other than to pass through the General's Estate." He sighed once more and continued. "It is still early in the day, and it seems only an hour or two's ride from here."

The weather looked as though it was about to turn afoul, as they rode through Caelin territory heading towards General Egalar's Estate. Kent who had rode at the front of the formation, signalled for everyone to stop. "The estate is just past that mountain to the southwest."

Jace took a small spyglass from somewhere in his dark coat, and surveyed the area. It was nothing but forests on the other side of the small mountain pass the Legion had found themselves in. _This is definately a trap._ Jace folded the spyglass, and tapped the fingers of his right hand on the small instrument.

"Jace, are you alright?" The tactician nearly jumped. He had not heard Lyn approach him.

"Oh Naga's grace Lyn, I almost jumped jumped out of my skin." Jace said leaning against the rocky mountain sky.

"I am sorry for startling you, but you seemed to be troubled."

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't." Jace replied.

"What is it that ails you my friend?" Lyn seemed genuinely worried.

"A great many things Lyn." Jace ran a hand through his hair. Lyn gave him a look, that meant she wanted him to elaborate. He paused a moment longer, before he told her everything that had been on his mind for the last several days. "Well first of all there is this situation. I don't like it one little bit. It is an obvious trap that I've just led us all into. If someone dies, then it'll be my fault as it was my idea to come here. Then there is my growing unease that somehow my father's Grimleal will find me and Cyrus either before or after this situation with Lundgren has been resolved."

Lyn had placed her hands upon the tactician's shoulders. Her grip was firm, but her expression was kind. "Keep yourself calm Jace. We'll get through this valley, and defeat Lundgren without losing anyone. I will not allow your father's agents anywhere near you. They will never lay their foul fingers upon you Jace."

Jace smiled, and felt his eyes sting slightly. The strange feeling that came with his realization earlier in the day, began to well up inside him. Lyn had just offered to protect him. To keep his father's Grimleal from ever getting their hands on him. Lyn's bright green eyes were gazing into Jace's deep crimson ones, the same way they had when they had shared that small room in Araphen.

"Something else is on your mind isn't it?" The swordswoman asked softly.

Jace nodded. "Indeed there is Lyn. And I have absolutely no idea where I should begin… I suppose It began when you and I talked in Araphen. When we woke up, there was a part of me, and please forgive me for saying this. There was a part of me that wished something had happened between us. This odd feeling has been building up inside me since then, and I've only realized what it is."

"And what is it Jace?" Lyn asked, although she thought she knew what Jace was about to say, having realized how she felt towards the tactician the very same day.

There was a moment of silence before the tactician spoke once more. "Lyn, I lo-" Jace never finished, as at that very moment shouts were heard towards the front of the formation. Internally cursing whoever it was that had interrupted the two of them, Jace and Lyn made their way to the front to see what the commotion was about.

They were greeted with the sight of a towering mountain of a man. His plate armor was so heavy and thick, Jace doubted that even Cyrus Armorslayer, nor even the Mani Katti would be able to penetrate it. The man was completely bald, and seemed well into his fifties. However despite his age, Jace thought he would be able to easily bat every last member of the Legion aside without so much as blinking. And then a large wave of fear washed over him. If this man was siding with Lundgren, they had no chance.

"General Wallace, please see reason." Kent spoke to the mountain of a man. "Lundgren is poisoning the Marquess, you cannot possibly believe the lies coming out of that man's mouth."

"I will judge for myself." Wallace growled out. "I will not trust your word nor Lundgren's on this matter, without investigating for myself. Bring this Lyndis to me."

"If you intend to harm Lady Lyndis, we will have to stop you." Sain snarled, grasping his longsword. His usual lighthearted tone replaced with a tone of pure venom, that shot a chill up Jace's spine.

Wallace let out a bark of laughter. "Hah! You have a long way to go if you wish to defeat me. I will judge her for myself. If I do not like what I see, then I will take her to Lundgren."

Lyn had more than enough of this. She strode past Jace, and the other two horsemen to step in front of General Wallace. "Enough of this arrogance of yours! I am Lyndis!" Her bright green eyes alight with intensity. "Move now or be moved!"

Wallace was silent for a moment, then said in such a quiet voice that Lyn could barely hear. "Such beautiful eyes…"

"I… I beg your pardon?" Lyn stammered, and gaped at the large man.

"And such spirit." Wallace said in a louder voice. "I like you girl, why i even think I'll join your little band of mercenaries." Wallace whistled sharply, and a large warhorse that was twice as big as Kent and Sain's steeds trotted up to Wallace. The steed was armored in a set of plate armor just as thick as Wallace. The elder General gripped the war horse's reins, and with no effort whatsoever, swung himself into the steed's saddle. "Lady Lyndis, daughter to Madelyn, and granddaughter to Hausen. This knight is at your service."

Jace's mouth was agape in shock. He could simply not believe this had happened. This mountainous General who had seemed was a moment away from swatting them like flies, was now part of Lyndis' Legion. Jace had not even remembered getting back into Brego's saddle, yet the next thing the tactician could remember was trotting up on his horse's backside to what had to be Egalar's home.

It was a cross between a castle, and a heavily defended fortress. That last part, Jace realized was far truer than he had believed at first glance. Archers were aiming bows at them from atop the many turrets and towers of Egalar's estate. For every archer, there must have been half a dozen pikemen who were all holding vicious looking javelins. Then at the front gates was a man who seemed just as old as Wallace, was waiting for them. General Egalar like General Wallace, while far older than anyone else present, seemed to have lost none of the strength of his youth.

"Wallace." The paladin sighed in a saddened tone. "You've chosen then."

"Indeed I have Cain." Came Wallace's reply.

The paladin looked to the ground. "I am sorry my old friend. Yet I have no choice, Lundgren has taken my son."

Enraged at this cowardly tactic of Lundgren's, Jace urged Brego forward next to Wallace's war horse. "General, I've been told that you are a man of honor. I urge you to see reason on this manner in the name of that honor. Do you truly believe that your son will be returned safely should you manage to defeat us here? Lundgren will continue to threaten you with your son's life, in order to keep you in line. Please General see reason. There is no need for us to fight."

Egalar did not speak, but Jace could tell he was thinking over what was just said. Before the paladin could respond, Lyn moved her horse in between Jace and Wallace's. "General Egalar, I am Lyndis, daughter to Madelyn. Please I beg of you to believe my tactician and myself. I make no claim to the Caelin throne, I just want to see my grandfather."

"You've seen the portraits of Madelyn in Castle Caelin Cain." Wallace said. "Does she not look like her mother?"

A long moment of silence passed, before the paladin spoke. "Everyone lower their weapons. We have no quarrel with those that have gathered here." All the soldiers under Cain Egalar's command lowered their weapons at once, as the elder General turned to face Lyn. "If it pleases you Milady, I will accompany you to Castle Caelin."

Lyn smiled in relief. "Of course General Egalar. You must repay Lundgren for kidnapping your son, and forcing you to serve him."


	8. Chapter 8

The Legion was only a day's ride from Egalar's Estate, to Castle Caelin. The General had insisted that the Legion spend the evening in his home, before they marched upon the castle the next day. Jace was finalizing plans for the assault on the castle with Kent, Lyn, and the two Generals.

"The northwest approach seems to be our best option." General Egalar said. "That's where Lundgren's forces are the thinnest."

"There's still bound to be heavy resistance." Kent said, his arms were crossed, and his fingers were drumming along his armored forearms. "Fighting Caelin soldiers… This is just wrong."

"I agree with you Kent." Jace said frowning.

"Perhaps they can be made see reason." Lyn said, and Jace knew she meant how Generals Wallace and Egalar had seen reason.

"We can only hope." Jace said sighing, and running a hand through his hair. "I would hate for all this to end in disaster when we are so close. Especially after all we have gone through to get to this point."

Lyn's hand found its way into his. Her fingers lightly contracted in reassurance around his own. "We will all get through this Jace." The swordswoman said this as an order, and in reassurance.

The dream came to him once more as Jace slept that night. _Jace and that strong blue haired youth were once again in combat with that powerful dark mage. Spells flew from the mage's fingertips, exploding in midair when they collided with Jace's counterspells. Flux orbs shot rapid fire from Jace's outstretched hand, forcing the mage back into some sort of dark barrier. He was backed into a corner, an opportunity that the powerful blue haired man did not pass on. His powerful blade arced through the air, going in for the kill, yet was blocked by a defensive ward spell cast by the mage. The mage then blasted the powerful young man back with a blast of dark magic. He was sent flying past Jace, and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor a few feet from the tactician._

" _Chrom!" Jace heard himself shout in worry._

" _Look out!" The man named Chrom yelled, and pointed towards the powerful dark mage. Jace barely got out of the way of the mage's spell._

" _Thoron!" Jace shouted, and his entire left arm crackled with magical energy. He pointed his index and middle fingers at the dark mage, and a small bright orb formed at the tips of the tacticians fingers a moment before a large spear-shaped lightning bolt shot from the orb. The bolt shot through the air, clearing the distance between Jace and the dark mage in the blink of an eye. It hit the mage in the lower abdomen, and pinned him to the powerful magical barrier which crackled violently when Jace's spell collided with it. This was it, this was the opening he had needed. Jace took that beautifully made sword in both hands, and ended the mage with a deep slash across his chest._

 _Things then shifted once again. He was upon that high point in the evening sky, locked in combat with that hooded figure. Their blades flashed and each time they met, rung in Jace's ears. The tactician lept back, but the hooded figure extended his arm to press the attack. Magical energy swirled about the figure, then horrible black spines longer than a Ballista bolt erupted from whatever surface they were on, and headed at breakneck speeds towards him._

" _Bolganone!" Jace cried out in desperation. Several magical seals formed along whatever surface they were on, a moment later molten lava erupted from the seals, breaking all of those horrid black spines. The figure roared in frustration, and attempted that spell again. This time Jace was ready._

" _Forblaze!" Jace roared, and his entire body was engulfed in magical energy. He extended both arms, directing the flow of energy at his foe. The lava from his previous Bolganone spell, that had cooled already was ignited and white hot once more. It was then a massive ball of flame fell upon the hooded figure, the lava from Jace's Bolganone spell shot at the figure, and adhered to the figure who was now shrieking in agony._

 _The flames cooled, and Jace could not believe what he had done. That was an immensely powerful spell that he had just performed. The figure had dropped to one knee, their face still hidden. Smoke was rising from this figure, and what skin he could see was blackened and horribly burned._

" _This is it Jace." He heard Chrom say, as the blue haired man stepped up to his right. "I'm going to end this."_

 _The tactician looked at Chrom, then to Lyn who had stepped up to Jace's left. In her hands were the Mani Katti, and the blade's twin. He then saw the bright red hair of Eliwood. The Phearan noble had that powerful broadsword in his hands, then the other blue haired young man with that over large battle axe. Jace looked at all of them in turn, once again feeling as if this would be the last time he would see any of them._

" _No Chrom." He said. "I'm going to end this." Before Chrom or the others could object, Jace started forwards towards the hooded figure. They were still smoking from the powerful Forblaze spell, as they stood and drew the same beautifully made blade Jace had. As before when Jace had this dream, a hot rush of anger surge through him, as though this figure had no right to hold that beautiful weapon in their hands. The figure swung down, at the same moment Jace swung his blade up. The figure's blade arced through the air, and the hooded person followed the weapon's arc. Jace plunged his own blade through the figure's heart, and with a horrible screech, the figure vanished._

" _It's over…" Jace said smiling in relief, dropping his own blade and dropping to one knee as he began to fade. "Everyone's safe…."_

" _Jace!" Lyn's pained voice had reached his ears. Although fading, Jace felt Lyn wrap her arms around his shoulders. He knew from her tone of voice she was crying. "You didn't have to do that…"_

 _Jace turned his head, smiling softly the tactician raised a flickering hand. With a tremendous amount of effort on his part, Jace was able to wipe away the swordswoman's tears. "Please Lyn, don't cry. You're too beautiful for tears…"_

 _And with that, Jace faded from Lyn's arms, from the world, and faded from all existence._

Jace's eyes snapped open. He sat upright in the bed he had taken in General Egalar's Estate. This time, his dream had been so vivid. "Naga's grace…" Jace whispered, breathing heavily to calm himself. "Calm down Jace. It was just a dream…"

At that point, the door to the small room knocked. Seconds later, Lyn entered. "Jace you sluggabed wake-" The swordswoman's voice was lost in her throat, when she saw the tactician. She rushed over to his side, worry in her eyes and voice. "Jace what's happened!? Did you have that dream again?"

Jace nodded once, and took a deep calming breath. "It was so much clearer than last time."

Lyn gently but firmly gripped Jace's upper arms. "Listen to me Jace, this dream of yours is just that. I will not allow you to fade. Jace you are far too important to me." Lyn's face was less than inch from the tacticians. Her green eyes shining with protective intensity as she stared into Jace's deep crimson eyes.

An hour later, the Legion was in full march accompanied by General Elgar and his men. They were heading straight for Castle Caelin. Jace and Lyn rode at the front of the formation, next to them on either side were Kent and Sain, and on either side of them were Generals Egalar and Wallace. The large castle had just come into view, when their formation came to a stop.

In front of them, were dozens of soldiers all armed to the teeth with the crest of Caelin on the front of their chestplates. One of the soldiers who had barred the Legion's path stepped forwards. He held a broadsword in one hand and a shield in the other. "Generals Wallace and Egalar, I beg you to surrender. Our forces far outnumber your own, and I do not wish to come to blows with you." Jace noticed the man's sword arm shake, as he addressed the two men.

Wallace laughed, an entirely mirthless laugh. "I would love to see you try that Captain."

The Captain spoke once more, a slight waver in his voice this time. "I'm under orders from Lundgren to kill anyone aligned with the pretender to the Caelin throne."

Wallace gave a bark of laughter. "Hah! Pretender? Take a good look at this so-called 'pretender' Captain."

The man stared at Lyndis for the longest time. Jace saw the wheels turning in the man's head, and the tactician knew the Caelin Captain had just made the connection when the man's eyes widened. "In the name of Elmine… Lundgren you lying bastard!"

"Knew we'd get there in the end." Egalar said crossing his arms.

"Men, weapons down." The Captain ordered, and as one every man under this man's command lowered their weapons. "Our enemy are not the one's in front of us. No our enemy is back at the Castle! Men about face!"

Jace and Lyn shared a smile. Lyn's hope that the soldiers guarding the castle would see reason had proved true. They were now being taken to the castle by a large honour guard, who stopped at the gates when one last obstacle barred them from Lord Hausen.

Lundgren was standing at the castle gates. He had a set of plate armor as thick and heavy as Wallace's. A lance as thick as a small oak tree was held in his armored right hand, and there was a look of pure ice cold venom on his aged face. "Traitors all of you." He spat. "But you're too late. In a few moments, my damned brother will be dead, and _I_ will be Marquess."

"Not if I have any say in this manner." Jace snarled. He had dismounted Brego, and drew his blade. He had no idea what had possessed him to do this. Lundgren gave a roaring laugh as he thrust his lance towards the tactician. Jace jumped to the side, as he brought his blade up to attempt to parry the thick weapon. Jace's eyes widened in horrified shock, when his blade shattered into dozens of tiny pieces.

Thinking fast, not wanting to be impaled on that wicked spear of Lundgren's, Jace threw what remained of his blade at Lundgren with all his might. It lodged into the small space of Lundgren's giant shoulder pauldron. The man roared in pain, and dropped his lance to attempt to remove what was left of Jace's weapon. The tactician then began to gather massive amounts of energy in his hands. He needed a spell powerful enough to penetrate Lundgren's armor, and he had seen just the one in his dream the evening previous.

"Jace what in all seven circles of hell are you doing!?" Cyrus demanded, fear etched onto his face.

"Ending this brother." Jace snarled through his concentration. His left arm began to crackle with magical energy the same way it had in his dream.

"You aren't ready to use that spell!" Cyrus said running up to his younger brother. "Remember what mother said!? If you use a spell before you are ready, it could kill you!"

"This won't kill me, but recovery is going to be a son of a bitch." Jace growled, as he pointed his two fingers of his left hand at Lundgren, who was still attempting to take Jace's blade out of his shoulder pauldron.

"Thoron!" Jace yelled, and the spell worked the same way it had in his dream. His left arm crackled with magical energy, a small orb formed at Jace's two extended fingertips lingering only momentarily before the spear shaped lightning bolt shot from the orb. The bolt shot through the air, hit Lundgren in the chest squarely in the chest. It pierced the thick armor as easily as a hot knife through butter, the force of the spell was so powerful it lifted Lundgren off of his feet, and the man landed in a crumpled heap. A neat hole a foot wide in his chest and back.

"And there I go." Jace said in an exhausted joking tone. Feeling completely drained, and knowing it was going to happen a split second before it did, Jace collapsed to the ground. Or rather he would have if Lyn had not caught him in her arms.

The tactician's eyes opened to an area that was not familiar to him. He very slowly sat up in what was a very comfortable bed. Jace sighed, and ran a hand through his dark blond hair. "Well now I know I can do that." He said in a laughing voice.

Something then caught his attention. A mass of green hair now resting upon his lap. Lyn was kneeling by his bedside fast asleep. Jace smiled softly, and ran a hand through her hair surprised at how soft her hair was. This action made the swordswoman stir, and a moment later she smiled up at him.

"About time you woke up you sluggabed." She said, getting to her feet and throwing her arms around him.

"Lyn… I'm finding it very difficult to breathe…" Jace said gasping for air from the force of Lyn's embrace.

"I'm sorry." She loosened her grip, yet continued to hold onto the tactician. "Between my grandfather, and you I was so worried."

"Oh, Lord Hausen! Were we able to save him?"

Lyn nodded. "Yes, thanks to Sera grandfather is well on his way to recovery."

"Thank Naga." Jace sighed in relief.

"He'd like to see you once you are able to walk." Lyn replied, to which with some difficulty, as Lyn still had her arms around him. Jace swung his legs off the bed he had been placed in, and rose to his feet.

Grabbing his coat from where it had been neatly folded at the foot of his bed, and followed Lyn to Castle Caelin's throne room. Lord Hausen upon the modest throne propped up by pillows. He was flanked at either side by Kent, Sain, Wallace, and Egalar. There were a line of soldiers all standing at even spaces leading up to the throne. Upon their arrival, they all stood at attention.

Jace bowed when reaching the throne, Lyn at his side. "Lord Hausen, it pleases me to find you well."

Lord Hausen smiled in a fatherly fashion. "I have you to thank for that. And for safely bringing my granddaughter here. I have very little to offer at the moment, as Lundgren was a tad greedy with Caelin's finances. Yet I believe I know a small way to repay you, although I doubt it will ever be enough. Please Jace, kneel."

Jace obeyed, dropping to one knee, and bowing his head as Lord Hausen rose from his throne. He was supported by Lyn, as he approached the kneeling tactician. Jace felt the tip of a small blade tap his left shoulder, then his left. "Upon my authority as Marquess of the territory of Caelin, you are now Sir Jace Ebonhart."

Jace rose and bowed to Lord Hausen once more. "Thank you My Lord."

"There is one more thing Sir Ebonhart." Lord Hausen said, as he sat upon his throne once more.

"Please Lord Hausen, you can simply address me as Jace." The tactician said, feeling a small wave of embarrassment wash over him.

"Very well Sir Jace." Lord Hausen said with a small wink, smiling at Jace's expression. Jace had not expected the Marquess to make that joke. "Lyn told me as you fought my brother, your sword was destroyed."

"It was indeed Lord Hausen, but it had an honourable final act in helping me end Lundgren." Jace replied.

"As I've heard." Lord Hausen replied. "If it pleases you, I would like to offer you a replacement from the Caelin armory."

"Grandfather." Lyn spoke up. "If I may, I can help with that."

Lord Hausen looked to his granddaughter, confusion etched on his face, before Lyn continued. "I brought my father's blade from my home in Sace. I was planning on using it as a spare weapon before I was chosen by the Mani Katti." Lyn then turned to Jace. "I'd like you to have it."

"Lyn I couldn't possibly-" Jace began before Lyn cut him off.

"I won't take 'no' for an answer Jace." Lyn smiled, before turning to Sain. "Do you have it?"

The green armored knight nodded smiling, and handed Lyn a blade in its scabbard. The swordswoman then strode over to her tactician and dearest friend, and placed the blade in his hands. Jace gasped in shock when he drew it from its scabbard. The Sacean blade was the very same beautifully made blade from his dreams.

"Lyn… Thank you." The tactician said breathlessly.

The sun was setting over the large mountains that lightly surrounded Castle Caelin. Jace stood atop one of the many guard towers of the castle, a light breeze ruffling his hair. Lyn stood next to him, her left hand in his right. It was no longer a gesture of reassurance, but one of affection.

"I suppose you'll be going to Bern." Lyn said, her tone saddened, and she couldn't bare to look at her dearest friend, the man whom over this journey she had fallen in love with.

Jace's fingers contracted around Lyn's, and he turned to face the swordswomen. "I've given thought to that Lyn. I've decided not to go. If … If you'll accept it, I would like to stay with you."

Lyn turned to face him, shock evident on her face. "Jace I don't know what to say. I would love that, but I don't plan on staying in Lycia."

"I never said anything about staying in Lycia." Jace replied. He was fighting to say something, and Lyn believed she knew what it was.

"Jace what are you saying exactly?" She asked. Although she had her high suspicians.

This was it. He may never get another opportunity. Jace looked the swordswoman in the eye. His deep crimson eyes gazing into Lyn's bright green ones. "I love you Lyndis."

She knew it, had known it since that night in Araphen. She knew he was going to confess before they marched upon General Egalar's estate. Yet she loved him as well, had fallen for him in Araphen, when they had spent the night together. Lyn threw her arms around her closest friend, her tactician, and her love. She pressed her lips to Jace's, and kissed him full on the mouth. "I love you too Jace."

Together, and in one another's embrace, the tactician and the swordswoman watched as the last of the sun's rays slipped over the top of the mountains.


	9. Chapter 9

_**One Year Later**_

It had been a full year to the day of Lundgren's defeat. Several members of the Legion departed Castle Caelin after the celebration in their honor. Rath departed for parts unknown shortly after the celebration started. Matthew bowed his way out before Sera noticed him, the thief left heading back to the Ostia Canton, as he had a report for Lord Uther the Marquess of Ostia. Erk and Sera departed for Ostia the day after the celebration. Nils and Ninian simply vanished without a trace, and with no sight of them since.

Jace and Cyrus had stayed at Castle Caelin. Cyrus had been knighted like Jace, and promoted to the Captain of the Castle Guard. Lyn had stayed, wanting to see her grandfather back to full strength. Lord Hausen had made a full recovery within the next several weeks following Lundgren's defeat, and the swordswoman had made no mention of leaving the castle since Lord Hausen's recovery.

It was on the aniversary of Lundgren's defeat, that Jace recieved a letter from Eliwood. His father Lord Elbert the Marquess of Pheare had vanished a month previous, and the young noble had requested the tactician's assistance in helping find the missing Marquess. The tactician hadn't wanted to leave Lyn's side, but Lyn had countered.

"It's because of Eliwood that no other Lycian province joined Lundgren." She said. "He needs assistance Jace."

"Alright Lyn, you win this time." Jace countered winking.

Brego was saddled within the hour, and with a final kiss to his beloved Sacean Jace rode full speed for Pheare. Several days had passed, as Jace rode Brego nearly nonstop. Finally exhausted the tactician stopped to rest at an inn a few miles away from Phearan castle. He had just settled into the small room he had payed for, when a small commotion drew the tactician's attention.

"What is going on?" Jace asked the innkeeper as he exited his small room.

"Bandits!" The man screamed in fright. "They got in through the south gate!"

"Damn!" Jace cursed, as he ran to the inn's stables. Brego neighed in protest when his rider placed his saddle upon his back. "I'm sorry Brego, but we have a problem."

Brego, whom Jace had believed to be of higher intelligence than other steeds looked to his rider, and gave him a soft and worried nicker. Almost as if he knew what was coming. Taking a swig of some elixer that Erk had given to him to help with his recovery of the massive amount of magical energy he'd lost when casting Thoron, Jace then swung himself up onto Brego's saddle, with no further protest on his steed's part. The elixer tasted horrible, but sugar made it useless.

It was as Jace rode Brego from the stables, did he see the force that had invaded the small village. The tactician rolled his eyes at the panic that six bandits had caused. _Six bandits caused this much of a panic? Oh this is truly pathetic._ Jace scoffed as he drew the Sacean blade Lyn had given him, Brego reared and neighed loudly drawing the attention of the six invaders. Jace spurred Brego forward charging towards the small group of six. Another horse joined him, and Jace only had seconds to recognise that there were two riders upon this particular horse. One was a knight who wore a set of armor similar to Kent and Sain's. His light green hair seemed to almost completely cover his eyes. The person behind the young knight, was a young girl several years Jace's younger.

Both horses charged at the bandits, and the young knight drew a blade sheathed on his left hip. There was fear and surprise etched into the faces of the six bandits as Jace and the young knight charged. The tactician spun his blade in his hand once, and swung taking the head of one of the six invaders. The remaining five scattered, as the two riders reached the south gate. Brego reared and flailed his hooves, as if warning the remaining bandits to leave.

"Jace there you are!" Jace's attention was drawn to a red haired youth of the same age as the tactician. Eliwood was astride a white horse, with a rapier in his right hand to which he pointed at the five remaining bandits. "You are attacking my people, leave now and I will spare your lives!"

"There's still five of us left princeling!" One of the bandits said brandishing a large axe. We could still end you easily!"

The sound of an arrow flying drew the young noble and the tactician's attention. The source came from the second rider on the green haired knight's horse. The young girl held a bow in her hands that looked too large for her. Yet her aim was true, as her arrow pierced the throat of the bandit who voiced his threat.

The other four did not last very long after the young girl let her arrow fly. It was actually the shortest battle Jace had with bandits in his life, with the small skirmish only lasting several minutes.

"I'm glad you're here Sir Jace." Eliwood said, as he cleaned his rapier.

"It was only odd luck that brought me to this particular village." Jace replied. "Though I do believe I have a bit of a penchant for attracting trouble. Now tell me what's happened. Where was your father last seen?"

"He was heading towards the Laus Canton with the majority of the knights of Pheare." Eliwood explained.

"And in your letter, you said that was a month ago." Jace mused. "This does not sound good at all Eliwood. It sounds as if your father was about to go to war with Laus."

"That is what I fear as well, yet there's been no word from father nor Lord Darrin confirming this." Eliwood said, his face falling.

"Now _that_ is odd." Jace replied. "Alright then, we should indeed get to the bottom of this."

Far from Elibe the powerful dark mage that Jace had fought in his dream was pacing in a large castle completely furious. He had lost track of his sons and his wretched wife over the past year. He had cursed anyone foolish enough to approach him without warning, as his frustration continued to mount, which drew the ire of the man seated on an ornate throne.

"Validar calm down." The man said in a bored tone as he leaned to one side.

"Silence!" The dark mage named Validar snarled at the king. "Silence you wretched puppet!"

"Puppet!?" The king roared, going from bored to anger in a flash. "You watch your tongue or I will have it ripped out, and placed upon my mantle!"

"I said _silence_ you wretched worm!" Validar snarled. "You only sit upon that throne because I allow it!"

At that point, a messenger shaking from head to foot then entered the throne room. Though he took great care to stay as far from the furious Validar as possible. "L-lord V-V-Validar? I… I have news…"

The dark mage's attention snapped to the quavering messenger, his dark eyes narrowed. "Speak."

"Your son's my lord… They've been f-found…"

"Where exactly?" Validar asked.

"In L-Lycia Lord Validar… I b-b-believe in Caelin…"

Validar smirked in vicious triumph. He'd found them, and this time he'd bring them back to Plegia. After his son's were back he only needed the treasure to perform the ritual. Yet he would take no chances this time, he would sent his most powerful agent. "Send Zephyr."


	10. Chapter 10

"Barring any obstructions, we should reach Castle Santaruz by tomorrow afternoon." Eliwood's retainer Marcus said, as they rode through a small mountain pass that connected Pheare and Santaruz.

Jace nodded only half listening to what the paladin had said. Something about what had been said during the conversation the day previous, was still bothering him. If Lord Elbert had rode to Lause with a war force, then why was it that nobody had word of there whereabouts for the past month? Not even an open declaration of war from Marquess Laus.

"Eliwood." Jace began slowly. "Forgive me for asking this, but what is the likelihood that Lord Helman has something to do with your father's disappearance?"

"None." The Phearan noble replied a little too quickly for the tactician's taste. "Lord Helman and my father have been friends for a very long time. He simply cannot be connected to this."

Jace nodded, running a hand through Brego's maine. "I'm just making sure we look at all the angles when it comes to your father's disappearance. Leave no stone unturned, and explore all the options we-"

The tactician felt a shiver go up his spine. He was mid-sentence, when the sensation hit him. Almost as if on instinct, Jace reached out and pulled Eliwood off of his horse, and onto Brego. It was not a moment too soon, as an arrow flashed through the space that the young lord had occupied a moment before.

Blades were drawn, as the small company came to a full stop. Their path was blocked by a group of rough looking men. Some with swords, others with axes. The largest one who had to be their leader, stepped to the space between his men, and Eliwood's group.

"A real shame." He said in an almost bored tone, as he hefted a large axe onto his shoulder. "You should have let him die. You could have spared your own lives… Ah well, too late now. Kill 'em boys."

Several of the ruffians charged. Rebecca let loose an arrow, only managing to catch the man in the shoulder. Jace gathered a small amount of magical energy in his hand. He did not wish to over-exert himself, as he was still recovering from his Thoron spell a year ago.

"Elfire!" A fireball of substantial size launched at the charging ruffians. It was strong enough to incinerate two of the ruffians, but their friends were upon them. Eliwood, blocked and parried to the best of his ability, finally able to pierce the man's neck with his rapier. Lowen who was the light green haired knight took on two men at once. Or rather attempted to, he did not possess the skill of Kent, nor the zeal of Sain. He would have been taken down sooner, had Marcus not stepped in, and taken one man's sword arm off at the shoulder. Lowen had gotten extremely lucky, by getting in a good and deep slash across the man's chest.

The ruffian leader had fallen back, trying to put a smuch space between himself and Eliwood's group. He did not notice a large battle axe being raised behind him. The large axe was brought down into the man's back, severing his spine. He dropped to the ground, and Jace let out a gasp of surprise. It was the large blue haired man from his dreams.

"Hector!" Eliwood exclaimed in a tone of surprise and relief. "What brings you here!?"

"Killing bandits Eliwood." Hector replied hoisting his axe onto his shoulder. "What about you my friend?"

"It's quite a long story." Eliwood started, but was cut off when more ruffians approached them. "Of course, I could explain after the battle is over."

Drawing his blade, Jace was about to spur Brego forward, when a voice reached his ears. "Jace, there you are!"

The tactician's eyes widened. That was Dorcas' voice. He spun around, and sure enough there was the large axeman urging a rather large steed forward. He was accompanied by another axeman, on a steed who was very similar to Dorcas'.

"Dorcas, what in Naga's name are you doing here?" Jace asked clearly shocked.

"Still trying to make money for Natalie's leg." The axeman replied.

"And your friend?" The tactician asked, nodding his head towards the second man.

"This is Bartre. His heart is in the right place, despite his abundance of energy." Dorcas replied.

"Alright then Dorcas, you and Bartre come with me. We're going to flank these Naga forsaken sons' of bitches."

An hour later, the ruffians were dead. Jace had taken another swig of that bitter tasting elixer. Eliwood had agreed to hire on Bartre and Dorcas, though he had agreed to pay the latter man a more substantial amount once Jace had told Eliwood about his wife.

"Right then Eliwood." Hector began. "What's going on here?"

The Phearan noble took a deep breath, and began to explain everything since his father had vanished with nearly all of Pheare's knights a month previous. Hector in Jace's eyes, while seeming brutish, listened closely to everything his friend had said.

"And you're heading to Santaruz for answers?" Hector asked, drumming his fingers along the haft of his axe.

"At least I hope to find answers there." Eliwood replied.

(A/N) Alright short chapter yes, and I am sorry for that, but my brain is not working at the moment. I know I did not include Dorcas and Bartre in the last chapter, and that was because I had completely forgotten about them joining in chapter eleven.

Next, I wanted to explain a little more about how I view Jace and his family casting light magic. the way I view it at least, is like casting a Patronus charm in Harry Potter. A dark wizard who tries to cast a Patronus would be consumed and killed by the spell, as its a spell meant for benevolent wizards. Raja never learned, nor taught her sons light magic due to her worry, that due to her being a former Grimleal, and also what Jace is, that they would be killed the moment they attempted to use light magic.

Thirdly, and I hate myself for saying this, but I'm going to hold out to post the next chapter until I can get a few reviews on my previous chapters. Just questions or concerns that I can answer in future chapters. Or even if it's just to say 'good Job' or Naga forbid 'you suck'.


	11. Chapter 11

The Marquess of Santaruz flung the doors open to his castle's throne room with surprising force for an aged man such as himself. A figure wrapped in a dark hooded cloak stood in front of the throne, and it was to this person that Lord Helman directed his anger towards.

"Ephidel, what is the meaning of this!" Lord Helman demanded of the hooded person. He had strode up to this Ephidel, anger etched in his wrinkled face.

Ephidel turned slowly to face the aged Marquess, and the only thing the elder man could see of Ephidel's face were his bright golden eyes. "Lord Helman." Ephidel spoke in a smooth emotionless tone. "Whatever is the matter?"

"The men you sent after Eliwood nearly killed him!" Lord Helman growled. "I have had enough of this! I am ending my alignment with the Black Fang. I am going to tell Eliwood everything."

Ephidel's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second. "Is there nothing I can do to make you change your mind?" He asked in that smooth toneless voice of his.

"Nothing! Now get out of my castl-urgghhh!" The Marquess' eyes widened, when white hot pain lanced through his abdomen. His eyes traveled downward, to see the hilt of a dagger embedded in his stomach, and a pale skinned hand belonging to Ephidel holding the offending weapon.

"Such a pity." Ephidel said, stepping over Lord Helman's body once the aged man had collapsed to the stone floor. Ephidel seemed to glide smoothly up to a man standing in the open doorway, who was wearing a heavy set of plate armor. "Eliwood and his companions will be here shortly. Keep them from reaching the Marquess. Although, it is unlikely you will have to hold them off for long."

The tips of Castle Santaruz' guard towers were soon in sight of Eliwood's ever growing band, just above the peaks of the mountain's dividing Pheare and Santaruz. To Jace, it reminded him of the time spend with the Legion. It had been only a year since several members of the Legion had departed, yet here and now with Dorcas, and to his surprise the thief Matthew, and the Cleric Sera traveling with him once again, it felt like the old days back in the Legion.

"What do you suppose that is your tactician is drinking?" Hector, the large blue haired Ostian lord asked Eliwood, upon seeing Jace take a mouthful of his elixer.

"Something to help him regain the strength he lost a year ago." Eliwood explained to his friend. "You must have heard about the small incident in Caelin."

"Something involving an inheritance dispute with Lord Hausen's granddaughter, and his younger brother Lundgren am I correct?" Hector asked, once again drumming his fingers along the haft of his large axe.

"Indeed." Eliwood replied. "Well during their confrontation with Lundgren, Jace used a spell that was far too powerful for him. That little potion is supposedly to help him regain the magical power he lost."

"Do you trust him?" Hector asked bluntly.

Eliwood gave a soft chuckle at his friend's question. "He is a knight of Caelin, and therefore a knight of Lycia. He is Lady Lyndis' love, and has the complete trust of Lord Hausen. Therefore Hector, he has _my_ complete trust as well."

"Well that is good enough for me to trust him then." Hector replied.

"You _still_ have to drink that stuff?" Sera asked the tactician in her shrill voice, as she rode alongside him.

Jace winced at Sera's tone. She wasn't a bad person to hold a conversation with, just so long as she didn't do the talking for any longer than several seconds, due to how high pitched and shrill her voice was even if she was speaking normally. "Yes I do. It appears that I used up far more energy than I had thought. Yet I did say that my recovery was going to be a son of a bitch did I not? Ah finally, Castle Santaruz."

They had passed the large mountains dividing the border between the two Lycian territories, and Castle Santaruz had come into sight in full. While not as impressive as Castle Caelin, it still looked to be a formidable structure to Jace. Yet the tactician could not help but feel a dark chill travel down his spine. Something about this felt very wrong, and he was sure that it had something to do with the Marquess.

"Eliwood I have a bad feeling about this." The tactician said as the red haired noble made to ride his steed alongside Jace's.

"I share your sentiment Jace, yet I must speak to the Marquess about my father." Eliwood replied, trying to keep his voice calm. Yet he did not fool Jace, who saw the young noble's hand upon the hilt of his rapier.

"Sorry lad, but that's not going to happen." A voice rang out. Everyone who was armed, readied their weapons at the exact same moment. A large bald man with a very dark beard, and dressed in a set of thick plate armor stepped in front of their path. There were a dozen well armed guards flanking the man in plate armor, who had to be their enemy captain.

Hector growled, and rode up alongside Eliwood. "How would you like a taste of my axe!?"

The bald knight let out a slightly insane bark of laughter. "Hah! This pup thinks he's a wolf! Alright then, if you think you're a match for me, I await you at the castle!" With that, his dozen guards pressed in towards Eliwood's company, as their captain seemed to melt away.

The skirmish that took place, did not last as long as Jace had thought it would. While Lowen and Rebecca were rather rough around the edges, the former members of Lyndis' Legion were not to be trifled with. That being said, Dorcas' words about his companion Bartre proved true, as he felled three enemies with one swing of his axe. Both Hector and Eliwood's retainers, the paladin Marcus, and the heavy armored knight Oswin were finely sharpened blades. The two men worked as one single mind. Blades broke upon Oswin's heavy plate armor, before he ran an unfortunate soldier through with his lance, while Marcus charged through and broke the small defensive line.

Yet Jace was willing to bet the knightly pay that Lord Hausen had offered him, this small skirmish was not going to be all that was in store for them today. A bet he would have won, despite his irritation at how right he was, although his time spent within Castle Caelin had improved his swordsmanship considerably. He dared anyone to train with Lyndis, and not improve the quallity of their bladework.

Jace and Matthew now fought back to back against several other swordsmen. Another Sacean named Guy had joined their forces, after Matthew had called in a favor that the myrmidon owed the thief. Guy was now fighting alongside the tactician and the thief on Jace's right, and for a moment Jace lost sight of the man. That was before he appeared on Jace's left. Eyes widened, Jace chanced a look to the small cluster of three that Guy had engaged a moment before. They were seemingly frozen in place, looks of shock upon their faces. Jace then looked over at Guy, who had his single edged blade partially sheathed. It was as the Sacean myrmidon snapped the blade fully into its scabbard, that the men fell to the ground in pieces.

"By Naga, I've never seen anyone do that before." Jace said clearly impressed at the Myrmidon's skill. It was indeed true, though despite her skill with a blade, Jace had never seen Lyn do what Guy had just performed. Even with her being the chosen wielder of the Mani Katti.

"I will be the best swordsman in all of Sace." Guy said, giving a nod of thanks to the tactician for acknowledging his skill.

"I know of someone who could contest that." Jace replied, a smile forming on his face as he thought of his beloved.

As the myrmidon made to reply, Eliwood's retainer rode up to them. "Come Jace, we are close to the castle."

Hector, upon advice from the tactician had flanked the large force barring the group from the castle, by approaching the defending force from behind. The Ostian lord had taken the other two axemen, plus his retainer Oswin. Those guarding the rear of Castle Santaruz had been caught off guard, and did not last long under a combined effort of the team that Dorcas and Bartre made. The enemy soldiers chances of survival went down even more significantly, when combined with Oswin's lance, and Hector's wild yet oddly controlled axe arm.

"So you were able to make it through my men eh pup?" The bald knight growled, a manic gleam in his eyes that was matched by his smile.

Hector growled in response, and raised his axe at the same time Eliwood readied his rapier. The fight that ensued between these three men, made Jace rethink a few things about the Phearan noble's combat prowess. Whenever the bald manic knight struck out with his lance, Hector was able to deflect it with his axe, and Eliwood struck the weak points of the knights armor. The space between shoulder pauldrons, the elbow and knee joints, and the small space near the collarbone.

"Perhaps it's because he and Eliwood have fought together so often, they know one another so well, and can predict one another's movements." Jace said thinking aloud. He and Cyrus certainly fit this profile, and it was the same with Lyn whenever they had fought alongside one another. Kent and Sain were like this as well, as were General's Wallace and Egalar.

The bald knight struck out with his lance once more, only to be deflected by Hector's axe. At the same moment, Eliwood spun around the knight slicing the exposed portions of the back of the man's knees. With his legs horribly injured, and blood pooling into the grass, Hector ended the manic knight, by burying the blade of his axe into the exposed portion of the knights armor near his collarbone.

"Who's the wolf and who's the pup now!?" Hector demanded in a victorious taunt at the deceased knight, as he extracted his large axe.

"Is he always like this?" Jace asked turning to Matthew, who nodded in response.

"Always. I'm surprised Lord Uther hasn't had an aneurysm yet." Matthew replied with a grim smile on his face.

The dark shiver went down Jace's spine once more, as everyone slowly made their way into Castle Santaruz. Something still did not feel right, and a moment later they found out what it was. Dozens of bodies were scattered upon the stone floor of the castle, some were slumped against the walls, while several had been stuck there by blades embedded in their chests and abdomens. Jace and Sera swore so vehemently, everyone looked at the two, who in turn were staring at one another in shock.

"What in all seven circles of hell happened here?" Hector asked, his grip tightening upon his axe.

"I'll bet anything, that it was that insane knight and his men who were responsible for this." Jace replied, following the Ostian lord's example, and tightening his grip upon his blade. And then the dark chill crept down his spine more intense this time. "Oh Naga, the Marquess!"

Eliwood had the same thought Jace had just voiced, as he tore towards the throne room with the tactician on his heels. They found Lord Helman in a crumpled heap, lying exactly where Ephidel had left him. The only difference was the large pool of blood that Lord Helman was lying in.

"Lord Helman!" Eliwood exclaimed, dropping his rapier as he knelt to the dying Marquess.

"Sera get in here!" Jace called, and the pink haired cleric rushed into the throne room, her expression horrified. Sera, hands shaking raised her staff. The large sapphire set into the top of the staff began to glow.

"No…" Lord Helman said weakly, catching everyone present by surprised. "It is too late…"

"Lord Helman please allow us to save you." Eliwood pleaded, as Lord Helman's face became ever paler.

The dying Marquess weakly shook his head. "Eliwood… I am sorry… I was foolish…" Lord Helman's voice grew fainter with each passing moment. "Go to Laus Eliwood… You will find answers… Laus…"


	12. Chapter 12

_**Castle Caelin**_

Cyrus walked along a rampart, frowning as he read a message Jace had sent. Marquess Santaruz was dead, it seemed as he had aligned himself with Laus and Marquess Darin. Lord Elbert had vanished with nearly all the Phearan knights, and they were headed in the direction of Darin's province. But what was the connection? There had to be some sort of connection between all of this.

He was brought out of his thoughts when Kent walked up to him. "Something seems to be troubling you."

Cyrus nodded. "This whole situation between Pheare and Laus. Lord Elbert's disappearance, and now Lord Helman is dead."

Kent's eyes widened in shock. "Marquess of Santaruz!?"

Cyrus nodded once more. "And all of his knights. I don't know what is going on, but Jace said that answers would be found in Laus."

"Do you believe that Lord Darin is behind this?" The red armored knight asked, his expression becoming hard once more now that there was someone to possibly blame for all of this.

"One would think that, yet we shouldn't jump to any conclusions until Jace has solid evidence." Cyrus replied, as he drummed the fingers of his left hand upon the hilt of his saber. "I can't help but think that something is about to happen."

A long moment of silence passed between the two, during which they saw something fly over the mountains several times. It couldn't have been Florina, she wasn't out on patrol at the moment. Cyrus brought out a small spyglass, and looked out past the mountains. That was no Pegasus Knight. The airborne steed was lizard-like, with large leathery wings, and dangerous tail spines. That was a Wyvern Knight. Cyrus then focused upon the Wyvern's rider, and he felt his stomach drop.

"...He's found us…"

Kent did not like the tone of Cyrus' voice, lesser still what he had said. "Captain Cyrus, what has happened? Who has found us?"

Cyrus' skin had gone pale, his hands had begun to shake, and his voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke again. "Father has found us…"

Over the past year, the members of the Legion that had stayed at the castle had heard the brother's story. Kent was no exception, and while he would never admit it, the knight felt a lance of fear shoot through his stomach at Cyrus' words. "Captain, we are going to fight correct?"

Kent's words brought Cyrus back to his senses. Fight, yes that is what they had to do. They needed to fight his father's agents off. "Ready everyone in the castle for battle."

As Kent ran off, Cyrus looked through his spyglass once more. The Wyvern was simply a scout, that he knew, and at any moment the force that Wyvern Rider was with would be rounding the mountain. His thought proved true, as a long line of pikemen came around the large mountain, after them came several line of archers. Knights in thick plate armor were behind the archers, and behind them came the cavillry. The eye behind the spyglass narrowed. The large host wore not just the crest of the Grimleal, but some wore the crest of Laus.

"Father is working with Marquess Laus?" Cyrus asked to himself. "No, no this is not right. There has to be…" His stomach dropped for the second time that day. He'd seen the one thing he had hoped never to see again. Marching slightly in front of the pikemen, was a tall figure with raven black hair, he could see his deep crimson eyes from where he was upon the castle rampart. The tall man had a long dark coat, with a thin set of bright silver colored shoulder pauldrons on top of the leather. Cyrus' spyglass then traveled to the man's waist, and his stomach dropped further when he saw the weapon sheathed at the man's right side. It was a rather long and thin single edged blade. "Zephyr… So father finally sent you after us brother."

Zephyr stopped the soldiers marching when Castle Caelin came into sight. So this is where his two younger brothers were. Father would be overjoyed when he brought Jace and Cyrus back to Plegia. Although as to why he wanted them back was beyond the eldest brother.

A horseman rode up to the Plegian, who seemed to be upset that the march had been called to stop. "What is going on here? Why did you call the march to stop Plegian?"

Zephyr rolled his eyes at the horseman. "Darin please do yourself a favor, and stay silent."

The Marquess of Laus growled at the younger man. "Don't you dare tell me-" The tip of Zephyr's long single edged blade was suddenly right between Darin's eyes. It was barely pressed against his skin, yet the blade was sharp enough to draw blood.

"Be silent, or I shall take your tongue." Zephyr warned, not taking his eyes off of the large castle. A thought then occurred to him. What if their mother was there? At that, a repressed part of him came to the surface, a part of him that he thought he had repressed long ago. It was angry at his mother for not bringing him when she left with Jace and Cyrus. Angry with her for leaving him with their father.

 _But I am so much stronger for it. I shall make you pay for abandoning me mother._ Zephyr's angered thought ran through his mind, as he repressed that annoying part of him that hadn't troubled him for so long.

 _ **Close to castle Laus**_

It had been several days since Jace had sent his message to Cyrus, and they had given Marquess Santaruz along with his knights proper burials. Everyone was now determined to get answers from Darin, and bring him to justice for Lord Helman's death. The large and impressive structure that was Castle Laus had just come into sight, when someone very familiar to Jace and Sera rode up to them.

"Erk!" Sera squealed, causing both the young mage and the tactician to wince from the sound of her voice. "What are you doing here!?"

After shaking his head, in order to rid his ears of ringing, Erk spoke. "I'm in the employ of a young noble lady named Priscilla. My employer is actually why I am here before you now. She is being held in Castle Laus, as Lord Darin had forbade her to leave."

"But why do that?" The pink haired Cleric asked.

"I can think of a few things, and none of them are pleasant." Jace replied, shuddering in disgust. "Yet taking young maidens such as your employer, is only one such injustice I see in this province. All I have seen since we entered Laus are signs of preparing for war. The people seemed starved and neglected, there are no guards at any village we have passed." Jace took out his own spyglass and chanced a look at the large castle. "And from what I can see, there are troops readying for battle."

"Could this be why my father and his knights vanished?" Eliwood asked. "Because Lord Darin was preparing for some sort of war?"

"Well we might be getting some answers to that." Jace replied. "A rider has just left the castle."

Jace handed Eliwood his spyglass, and looking through it, the young noble recognised the rider. "That's Darin's son. Erik is heading our way."

Jace nodded. "Right then, Eliwood, Hector, we'll go to meet Darin's son. Everyone else is to wait here until it's safe, or I give the signal for battle. That includes you Erk. We'll rescue your employer one way or another, yet we cannot risk anything at this point in time." The two lords and the tactician rode forwards to meet Erik, Jace noticing several disheartening things the closer they rode to the son of Marquess Laus.

"Eliwood, Hector, what brings you two to Laus?" Erik asked, in a far too innocent voice for Jace's tastes. "And who is your friend?"

"This is Jace, a good friend and a knight of Caelin." Eliwood, lightly waved away Jace's attempt to rebuff the word the young noble had put in for him. "That aside Erik, we need to speak with your father."

Something flashed in Erik's eyes for a moment. "Of course, come I'll take you to see him."

 _There is no way that Eliwood can be this naive. Surely he must have seen_ \- Jace was snapped out of his thoughts, when Hector voiced exactly what the tactician was thinking. "Hold a moment Erik. There's something about this whole situation I don't like. First of all, the people of Laus suffer and Darin does nothing to ease their pain. All the guards from all the villages we have passed to get here are missing their guards. Then there is Lord Elbert's disappearance one month ago, along with the majority of the Phearan knights. Then to top it all off … Why have I seen Laus soldiers waiting in ambush all around us?"

Erik's face was a momentary mask of shock, before it turned into a snarl of irritation. "Oh well played Hector. So you've found out eh? Well since the Pegasus is out of the stable, why not come clean about it? My father is preparing for war, a war against Ostia." Erik gave a disgusted cackle. "Lord Elbert would have joined us, yet he took all of his damn knights who knows where."

"You lie!" Eliwood spat at Erik.

"You know something Eliwood?" Erik continued. "I've always hated you. You and Hector were always better than me when we were being schooled, and now I can finally prove that I am the better of the three of us!"

With his words, Erik gave the signal for his men who were waiting in ambush, and Jace gave the four note signal for his company to take up arms. As the small band of warriors joined the two lords and the Tactician, obviously catching Erik off guard as he immediately turned his horse around, and raced back towards the castle.

"Spineless coward!" Hector roared.

It was an hour later when Eliwood's company had reached the large castle. Erik was cowering behind two of his knights with armor as thick as General Wallace's, yet they did not last long. Jace absolutely hated cowards, and he wanted nothing more than to teach this snivelling noble a lesson. Erik's last two guards slumped to the ground, as their heads rolled right up to the lord's feet. Erk had said that Jace's strength would return in full, when the elixer ran empty. And seeing how Jace had finished the last of it just before confronting the two knights, they did not have a chance against him now that his magical strength had returned to him.

"You have two options left now Erik." Jace snarled at the lord. "Fight now, or retreat into the castle where I'll throw you off one of those guard tower."

"You _dare_ to threaten me!?" Erik spat as he drew his blade, although Jace noted that Erik's had shook. "I will kill you where you stand!"

While a coward, Erik was indeed no pushover when it came to combat. Yet Jace had extensive training with a very skilled, and very beautiful Sacean over the past year, so Erik was not much of a match for the tactician. However, Jace did not want to kill the man before him. No, he'd rather cause him humiliation in the worst possible way. And that was what caused the tactician to kick the cowardly lord between the fork of his legs… Several times.

"Tie him up." Jace spat, as Erik gave a piteous high-pitched groan. Jace growled, and punched the lord across the temple as hard as he could. "And gag him as well!"

"That wasn't very honorable Jace." Eliwood, said as they made their way into Castle Laus. Although Jace didn't take this chiding seriously, as Eliwood was attempting not to laugh as hard as he was several minutes ago.

"Blast it! Where has that snake Darin gone!" Hector roared in frustration. They had found neither hide nor hair of Marquess Laus, even though they had searched the castle in its entirety.

It was then that a small transparent animal bounded through the walls of the castle, and came to a stop right in front of Jace. They Lynx opened its mouth, and began to speak in Cyrus' voice. "Castle Caelin is under attack. Marquess of Laus is here. So is Zephyr."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Inside Castle Caelin**_

The most prevalent sounds of battle came from Castle Caelin's throne room. Bodies were strewn everywhere, yet none bore the crest of the invaded Lycian province. There were only two combatants still within the throne room, and they were currently locked in fierce combat with one another. They stood in the exact center of the throne room, their sword arms nearly invisible to the untrained eye. Both warriors struck out at one another, both giving no quarter, and having none returned.

"I see that mother has taught you well." Zephyr said, a playful combative smirk barely visible on his face. Yet it turned into a momentary gape of shock, when his younger brother of two years got past his guard. Cyrus' saber came within inches of slicing Zephyr's cheek, had the raven haired swordsman not sidestepped the strike.

"That's a little something new!" Cyrus snarled, bending back at the waist as Zephyr retaliated by swinging his long single edged blade in a wide ark. The long blade passed just inches in front of Cyrus' face, as the strike was intended to bisect him.

"Enough of this then." Zephyr sighed, and to Cyrus' horror his elder brother's entire body began to shudder with magical energy. Black and purple tendrils seething with dark magic swirled around Zephyr's right arm, as a large orb of dark energy amassed in his right hand. Cyrus felt a dark chill travel up his spine upon the site. That was no Flux orb Zephyr was creating, no this was something far darker and much more powerful than that. Whatever it was, Cyrus could not allow it to touch him. Now Cyrus' body shimmered with magic energy, as white hot burning tendrils of magic snaked their way along his arms. The two brothers locked eyes for one moment, a moment in which they defied the other to cast their spell first. Then upon some unseen signal, both spells were cast at the exact same moment.

"Valflame!"

"Goetia!"

A large tongue of white hot flame shot from Cyrus' outstretched hands, as Zephyr let fly his large orb of seething black magic. The blast created when the two spells collided was so powerful, that all of Lycia could feel the earth shudder beneath their feet, and the explosion was heard even within the confines of Castle Bern. Yet for all the dramatics the two spells had created upon colliding with the other, no damage was done to the castle. Yet the same could not be said for Cyrus, who now lay in a crumpled heap at the foot of the steps that led to the throne.

"I will give you credit brother. You did put up a good fight, yet your skills with magic are pitiful compared to my own. Yet that is something father can easily rectify." Zephyr said in a soft mocking tone. He only got several paces towards his fallen younger brother, when an outstretched arm blocked his path.

"Not just yet." A toneless voice said, causing Zephyr to scowl as Ephidel spoke. "I have searched the castle, and found no trace of your youngest sibling. I wish to examine his mind, and see just where he's gone to."

"Do as you must." Zephyr scowled at Ephidel, as something was not right about this man. "However should any permanent damage be done, I will personally pay your Lord Nergal a visit."

Ephidel gave a toneless laugh that was completely devoid of any emotion. "I would like to see that very much. However, was that concern in your brother I heard in your voice?"

Turning on his heel, Zephyr strode from the throne room. "He _is_ my brother." Zephyr cursed himself for allowing that troublesome part of him to surface again, as he strode off.

 _ **Outside Castle Caelin**_

Florina drove her lance through the back of a Laus soldier, who had gotten too close to where Lyndis and the remaining defenders of Castle Caelin had gathered. The lance protruded through the man's chestplate, and he dropped to the ground in a heap once the petite Pegasus Knight retracted her lance.

"Florina!" Lyn cried out as she ran up to her friend. "Thank the spirits you made it out. Where is Cyrus?"

Florina twisted her lance between her fingers in a guilty manner. "He … He wanted me to go without him. He said that he would hold the throne room…"

"By himself!?" Kent exclaimed incredulously. "There were over two hundred soldiers marching upon the throne room! How in the name of Elmine could someone survive against those odds, even with Captain Cyrus' considerable skill!?"

Florina's face fell, as she continued to twist her hands around her lance. "He said that he could handle things…"

"Kent, have you no shame?" Sain chastised, scowling as brushing past his red armored companion as he placed his hands gently upon Florina's shoulders who to her own surprise, did not recoil at the flirtatious knight's touch.

"You did very well in today's battle Florina." Sain said in reassurance. "May I ask, did you manage to see anything as you flew here?"

The Pegasus Knight thought for a moment, then spoke once more. "I did see another force riding towards the castle at full gallop. They were led by Lord Jace." She added, as the defenders seemed to have gone pale at her news. Yet upon revelation that Jace was leading this force, they cheered loudly.

Lyn felt relief wash over her upon this news. Her tactician was returning to her, along with Eliwood and his forces. "Thank the spirits he got Cyrus' message."

"We need to link up with Lord Jace at once." Kent said, attempting to get around the guilt he felt for frightening Florina. "We'll be able to retake the castle if we do."

"Um Lyn." Florina spoke up once again. "I could do a fly by and see how many hostile forces are left, and I could relay that to Jace."

"Are you sure?" Lyn asked, concerned for her friend.

Florina nodded. "I'll be alright. I'm much more confident than I was. I know I can do this."

"Fly fast, yet stay safe Florina." Sain said, as she mounted Huey once more. A moment later, both Pegasus and rider were flying high and fast towards the mountains.

Astride Brego, Jace had just rounded the large mountain that hid Castle Caelin. He stiffened at the site of the place. It was positively swarming with hundreds of Laus and Plegian forces, and somewhere in all of that were Lyn and Cyrus. Then his stomach gave a jolt of horror, as he remembered that their oldest sibling was among the attacking forces. He'd never met Zephyr, as he was only a baby when he was taken from his crib by his mother, but Raja had told him that at even at such a young age as Zephyr had been, he was deadly with both a blade and magic.

"In the name of Elmine…" Eliwood breathed in horrified shock upon seeing Castle Caelin.

"Cyrus and Lyn are in there." Jace said, gripping the blade that Lyn had given to him. "I hope Naga has smiled upon Lord Hausen this day, and he is still alive."

"With any luck." Hector growled as his horse came to a stop to Jace's left. "That snake Darin will be here as well. I've been meaning to introduce him to my axe."

"All in good time Hector." Jace said calmly, although he secretly agreed with the Ostian Lord. He had a few choice spells that he would like to test out on the Marquess of Laus. "Wait is that a Pegasus Knight?"

All eyes looked to the sky, and became fixed upon the figure in the sky. Some had to shield their eyes against the sun in order to see, yet upon recognizing who it was, a smile split his face. Florina steered Huey into a dive, yet she did not see the archer who had targeted her until Eliwood had called out to her. She screamed and jumped from Huey's saddle, not realizing that she was still in the air in her panic. Jace and Eliwood cried out in fear, a moment the Pegasus Knight crashed almost comically into Hector, knocking him off of his horse. Were it not for the seriousness of the situation, Jace would have laughed.

"Florina, are you alright!?" Jace asked worriedly as he helped the petite knight back to her feet.

"I believe so." She said shakily. "I didn't see that archer."

"Neither did I." Jace admitted. "And what about you Huey? Are you unharmed?" Florina's Pegasus had landed beside his rider. Tossing his silvery mane, he nickered softly in pacifying way to the tactician.

"Florina." Eliwood began, once she was back on her feet. "What's going on? What's happened?"

"We managed to hold back the majority of the invading forces for some time." Florina began to explain. "But they managed to break through. There was a strong fighter leading this force, I think Cyrus called him Zephyr. Cyrus headed straight for the throne room when the Laus forces broke through, to cut this Zephyr person off. That was the last time I saw him, as he sent me to go and find Lyn."

"Lyn managed to escape?" Jace asked, feeling some of his worry dissipate.

Florina nodded. "Yes. Along with the rest of the Legion, and several hundred other defenders."

"Thank Naga." Jace sighed, as Eliwood placed a hand on the tactician's shoulder.

"Well this is all good and everything, but will somebody help me up?" Hector growled, and despite the seriousness of the situation, Jace and Eliwood could not stifle their laughter as they hauled Hector to his feet.

"Alright then." Jace said, a plan beginning to form in his mind. "Time to retake the castle."

 _ **Castle Caelin's dungeon**_

Cyrus' vision was blurry, as he regained consciousness. The last thing he had remembered before blacking out, was Zephyr's spell slamming into him after that deafening explosion. Something that tasted awfully like copper met his tongue, and bringing his hand away from his mouth, realized that he was bleeding from his mouth.

"Ah good. You're awake now." A toneless voice reached his ears, and Cyrus' crimson eyes looked up into a said of bright gold eyes.

"Who in Naga's name are you?" Cyrus asked, a sight quiver in his voice.

"You may call me Ephidel." Ephidel replied in his normal toneless manner.

"And what is it you want Ephidel?" Cyrus asked, as he took in his surroundings. He must have been in Castle Caelin's dungeon. He was chained by his wrists to a chair, and there was a table between him and Ephidel in the small cell. A single candle was lit in the middle of the table, giving Ephidel a far more chilling appearance than was normal.

"I wish to know where your brother is." Ephidel replied, causing Cyrus to scoff.

"And you really think I will tell you that?" He sneered. "Go and torture me all you want, you'll never know where Jace is."

Ephidel tutted, and shook his head in a dismissive manner. "Torture is both inhumane, and a waste of time. It only gets one the fastest lie in order to end the pain. No, no my way is far more direct and precise."

With that, Ephidel's eyes bored into Cyrus'. Cyrus immediately felt a sharp presence attempt to enter his mind. His fists clenched tightly upon the arms of the chair so tightly, that his knuckles whitened. Cyrus began to throw up mental blocks, attempting to keep out the invading presence that was Ephidel, who gave a toneless laugh and pressed his mental attack further. Cyrus was now gripping the chair so tightly, that the arms began to splinter.

"You. Will. Have. To. Do. Better. Than. This." Cyrus strained, as he attempted to distract Ephidel from entering his mind. He could not allow this man into his mind. He had to retaliate. He had to get into Ephidel's mind. Focusing all of his mental strength into a point as sharp as glass, and forced his own mental attack past Ephidel's, past the guards the man through up, and found when he entered his mind … Nothing. It was a seething mass of black mist. Ephidel's mind was a raging black void. With a sharp gasp, Cyrus pulled out of Ephidel's mind.

"Abomination!" Cyrus gasped, still looking into Ephidel's eyes. "You're walking blasphemy of the three magics. Whoever your creator is, has violated the laws of magic!"

The sounds of battle reached their ears, and then a very familiar voice called out. "Cyrus!"

Ephidel turned towards the sound of the voice, and a fist caught him in the left side of the jaw. He staggered back, revealing Jace in the doorway. Jace struck out again, catching Ephidel under the jaw in an uppercut that sent him flying over the table, and past Cyrus to crash against the opposite stone wall.

"Are you alright brother?" Jace asked, as Cyrus cut his bonds with a small Elwind spell.

"I am now thanks to-" Cyrus began, but Ephidel getting to his feet drowned his words out. Cyrus wrapped his arms around the abomination's waist, and hoisted him into the air. He intended to put him through the small table in the center of the cell. Jace's blade hit the floor with a loud clatter, as he lept into the air. He grabbed Ephidel's head in his hands, and together the two brothers forced Ephidel through the table, and splitting the table in two.

"Who in Naga's name is this man?" Jace asked as he retrieved his blade.

Cyrus growled, as he retrieved his saber from where it had been stored with the confiscated weapons of the defenders who had been taken prisoner within their own castle. "He's no man. He is a Morph."

A dark chill shuddered down Jace's spine. "An abomination of magic." The two brothers prepared to finish Ephidel, when he vanished in a bright flash of light.

"Damn!" Cyrus cursed. "He phased away!"

Ephidel's escape notwithstanding, after several more hours of intense fighting Castle Caelin had been successfully retaken. Lucius had been freed, along with a tall and well built man named Raven, who had been hired by Lord Hausen in the year since Lundgren's defeat. Lord Hausen was very much alive, and being accompanied by a light red haired woman who turned out to be an Ostian spy named Leila. Leila had been assigned by Hector's older brother Lord Uther to infiltrate and spy upon the Black Fang, to whom the Morph Ephidel commanded in lieu of his master.

"It was Ephidel who goaded Lord Darin into attempting to start his war with Ostia." Leila explained. "When Lord Elbert found out, he rushed with nearly all the Phearan knights to the Black Fang fortress."

"And where would that be?" Eliwood asked.

Leila opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by a smoky female voice. "I believe I can answer that."

The sound of heeled boots walking upon stone reached their ears, and when Jace and Cyrus turned towards the sound, their eyes widened. The newcomer stood a head taller than Cyrus, a sheet of blond hair fell down well past the woman's waistline. The woman's eyes were like her son's, a deep crimson. Her clothing with the exception of her black heeled boots, was a dark blood red. And there was a long blade with a dark gold hilt was sheathed upon her left hip. Raja Ebonhart regarded everyone with a kind motherly expression, which would have been rather pacifying, were it not offset by her formidable appearance.

"The Black Fang is located on the Isle of Valor."


	14. Chapter 14

The shock of Raja Ebonhart's arrival had taken everybody by surprise. Most notably Jace, and to a lesser extent Cyrus. His magic lynx was not only sent to find Jace, but also Raja to tell her of the situation at hand. Now the shock of her arrival had worn away some, it was Eliwood who spoke first.

"Pardon my rudeness milady." He began cautiously. "However none of us know who you are."

Raja's crimson eyes fixed upon Eliwood for a moment, then swept the throne room before focusing upon her sons. "That young lord, is where you are mistaken. There are at my count, three of those among you who know who I am."

Eliwood looked around the large room, at everyone gathered as if wondering who among them knew this stranger. "Who would those three be?" He asked after a moment.

"She's talking about Cyrus and I." Jace spoke up. "She is our mother."

Eliwood gapped at Jace in freshly renewed shock. The tactician had in their conversations, never mentioned his mother. The Phearan lord turned his attention to Lyn, perhaps wondering wether or not she knew about Jace's relation to this formidable looking newcomer. Lyn however, did not seemed as shocked to this revelation as he did.

"Your son's aside." Lyn spoke addressing the Plegian woman. "Who would be the thrid gathered among us who would know you?"

Raja now fixed her gaze upon Lyn, and a smile graced her lips a moment later. "You are Lyndis. The swordmaiden who has claimed my youngest son's heart correct?"

Lyn's cheeks lightly flushed. While everyone knew that her and Jace loved one another, it was rather off putting to have something like this sprung upon one in such a way. "Indeed I am Lady Ebonhart." Lyn spoke after composing herself once again.

Raja bowed slightly to the swordswoman, her right hand placed over her heart. A Sacean virtue of respect, one that was returned by Lyn. "Now in the category of questions unanswered. The third among us who knows me, is the apprentice of the Mage General of Etrua."

As she spoke, Raja gestured to the young purple haired mage in question. Erk stepped forward, and bowed to her. "Lady Ebonhart, it is an honor to see you again."

"Likewise Erk. How go your studies?" Raja asked, her attention now focusing on the young mage.

"They go well milady, yet I believe we are all wondering how you know where the Black Fang are located."

"Ah yes. Yes forgive me for becoming distracted. I know of this situation in its entirety, as I have a spy within the ranks of the Black Fang, the same as Lord Uther. He has told me everything regarding this whole situation."

Leila, the Ostian spy who had infiltrated the Black Fangs ranks under orders for Lord Uther frowned. Had there been another spy within the Black Fang, she would have known. Surely she would have known.

It was Hector who spoke next. "Well if the Black Fang are located on Valor, then that's where we have to go."

A laugh suddenly rang out along the throne room, followed by Zephyr's voice. "If you want to go, that's fine with me. It's none of my concern where you wish to die, however my brothers will be coming home with me."

Raja's blade was suddenly in her hand. She had unsheathed it and brought it up behind her back in one motion. The sound of metal on metal met everyone's ears, when Raja blocked Zephyr's strike. She tutted and shook her head in a dismissive manner.

"You shouldn't have announced your presence so soon Zephyr." Raja said softly, having not turned around to face her eldest child. "I thought I taught you better than this. Of course, your father would have attempted to erase anything I taught you, in order to instill his ideas into your brain."

Behind her, Zephyr scowled. "You've no idea what I've been through when you left _mother_." Zephyr spat the last word like a curse, his grip upon his blade tightening. He retracted his blade, and made to run her through. Yet Raja was a much more experienced combatant, her sword arm was a blur, as she turned to face her eldest son. She parried Zephyr's long blade with very little effort, yet made no attempt to make counter strike.

"I am well aware of what has happened in Plegia." Raja countered. "Dear Tharja has been sending me monthly reports."

This news only seemed to have further infuriated Zephyr. His repressed emotions had surfaced once more. His normally impassive crimson eyes flashed with murder. "You _knew_!?" He snarled, as he began to shimmer with magical energy.

Everyone drew their weapons as one, yet Raja held out an arm. "Do nothing!"

"You _knew_ , yet you did _nothing_!?" The throne room began to shake violently. A runed seal began to form in front of Zephyr, whose eyes flashed once again with murderous intent.

"Do you like this spell _mother_?" Zephyr spat the word like a curse once again. "I've only just created it. It will bring my enemy to the brink of death, allowing me to finish them off at my leisure. It doesn't even have a name yet."

Raja looked at the seal forming in front of Zephyr, and shook her head ruefully. "It has a name. The spell is called Eclipse." At that, the same seal formed in front of Raja, who looked her son in the eyes. A moment later, Zephyr roared in pain as dark runes shot from the seal, shattering Zephyr's, and throwing her eldest son to the stone floor several feet away.

Coughing and sputtering, Zephyr planted his sword in the stone floor. He very slowly rose to his feet, blood leaking from a corner of his mouth, and from a deep cut above his left eye. The Eclipse seal formed in front of him once again, as in his defiance and hatred, he believed that this fight was not over. "I will … Kill you…"

"Enough." Raja said simply, and Zephyr's magic seal dissolved the moment Raja's golden blade came into contact with it. "Enough my son, it's over now."

And then through all of the anger, through all of the hatred he felt towards her. The question he had been burning to ask for the last two decades, had finally come to the surface. "Why? Why? Why did you not take me with you?"

Raja sheathed her blade, before she did something that she had not done for the last twenty years. Something that shocked her three sons to their cores. She embraced him. "I am so very sorry Zephyr. On the night I left, I could not find you in your bed. In my panic, thinking that your father knew what I planned to do, I left to find Cyrus and Jace not knowing where you were. In my haste to save my youngest children, I neglected my eldest child."

Zephyr stood there in shock for a moment. His weakened grip upon his blade tightened, before he let it fall. "Mother…"

"Will he fight with us?" Eliwood asked Jace in a whisper that carried throughout the throne room, as Raja worked her fingers through her eldest child's raven hair.

"For this once." Zephyr began, lightly brushing his mother's arms away as he attempted to stand on his own. "I am not against you.


	15. Chapter 15

Raja groaned, as she pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. They were heading towards the port city of Badon, looking for passage to the Dread Isle. Jace, and Cyrus had told their mother everything of what had transpired in the previous year.

"A Thoron spell?" She groaned as her horse was spurred forward. "Jace how many times have I told you about using spells before you're ready?"

Jace sighed, running a hand through Brego's mane. How would he explain this? "I knew it wouldn't kill me mother."

"And just how would you know that?" Raja asked, her arms crossed and her fingers drumming upon her forearms.

"I knew, because I had a dream about it." Jace replied.

"What sort of dream?" Raja asked, her brow now creased.

"In this dream, I am fighting a highly powerful dark mage." Jace began. "I'm fighting alongside a powerful youth named Chrom. I used the same spell, the Thoron spell to wound this mage the same way I killed Lundgren."

"Interesting." Raja began. She suspected she knew who this man was, that her son was fighting in his dream. She also highly suspected that this youth, this Chrom was the crown prince of Ylise. "Continue my son."

"After this fight, the scene shifts." Jace replied, and continued his explenation of his dream. "I am locked in combat with this dark hooded figure. Who ever this person is, launches some powerful dark magic at me. Spines rose from the ground in an attempt to impale me. I use a Bolganone spell to destroy these spines, I counter with a spell called Foreblaze, which horribly injures this person."

"By Naga." Raja breathed, as a dark shiver ran down her spine. Something told her that this story would not end well for her son.

"Chrom offers to finish whoever this person is. However I offer to finish this figure, and before anyone can protest, I've already run my blade through his heart. It's then and there that I fade from all existence."

Raja sighed, running a hand through her hair in a very uncharacteristc way. "Jace, do you believe that these dreams are prophetic?"

The tactician's eyes glanced down to the Sacean blade sheathed at his side. "Perhaps mother, there are a few things that add up. The blade that Lyn had gifted me, my use of Thoron without it killing me."

Lyn steered her steed into a trot bringing herself alongside her tactician. "Jace I've told you. These dreams will not come true." Her fingers interlocked with Jace's, giving them a reassuring squeeze.

"I truly hope you are correct Lyn." Jace began, and the both of them glanced down at the beautifully crafted blade at Jace's side. "However, some things do add up."

Hours later, they had reached the port city of Badon. However the problem was that nobody had offered to give them passage. Yet those who refused their offer, suggested to talk to a pirate captain named Fargus. Something that Lyn was very opposed to, stating that they were nothing but sea ferring bandits.

"Lyn, please see reason." Jace said in reassurance. "These pirates are not the bandits who had killed the Lorca."

"I know Jace, however I-" Lyn began, but her love cut her off when he placed his fingers on her lips.

"If we cannot find anyone else who will offer us passage to Valor by sundown, we ask whoever this captain Fargus is."

"Alright, if we find no one else by sundown." Lyn conceded. "However I won't be pleased with the choice if that is our only path to take."

Jace had a witty comeback on his tongue, a moment before that dark chill that alerted him to danger ran down his spine. "Trouble…"

Lyn's expression turned to one of worry. "What is the matter?"

"We need to regroup with the others." Jace said at once, drawing the blade that Lyn had given to him. Lyn nodded, the Mani Katti already in her hands.

The two found their allies under assault by Black Fang soldiers. Raja had orchestrated their forces into a good defensive wall. Marcus, Oswin, Wallace, Hector, Eliwood, Raven, and Egalar were at the front of the formation. Sain, Kent, Florina, and Lowen were in the second row acting as pikemen. Rebecca, Erk, Lucius, and Wil were providing support with their bows and spells. Cyrus, Guy, Matthew, Zephyr, and Raja herself acted as a rear guard of sorts. Making sure they did not become flanked.

"Pardon me." A rather young man called out to the tactician and the swordswoman. He seemed to be the same age as the two, perhaps only a year or two younger. His long black cloak billowed behind him as he ran. "My name is Canas. I am a practitioner of Elder Magic, and I was hoping to add my services to your forces."

With little time to consider, but not knowing why, Jace posed his question. "The foulest crime to commit according to the laws of the three magics."

"Giving false life to a false being." Canas replied at once, his expression darkening at the question. "Why is it you ask this?"

"I will explain once this is over." Jace replied. "Now our spell casters need your support.

With that, Canas left to support Erk, and Lucius, while Jace and Lyn added themselves into the fray at the front of the formation. The battle lasted for the next hour and a half. Black Fang soldiers did indeed fall, but they were taken down few and far between. Both sides were fighting one another into a stand still, yet the fighting ceased on both sides when a chorus of war cries met everyone's ears.

"I'll show ye' foul land dogs, just what ye'll get when ye' attack _my_ town!" A loud grizzled voice called out, as a mountain of a man who looked just as grizzled as he sounded walked up with a purpose. He was carrying a wickedly large axe in one arm, and behind him were dozens of tall well built men.

Some in Jace's group turned their weapons upon these newcomers as they charged, yet they needn't have bothered. As these new combatants charged, they completely ignored Jace and his forces. Choosing instead to focus their attention and axes upon the Black Fang, who were drawn into retreat only minutes after their arrival.

The large grizzled man walked up to Jace, as he sheathed his blade. "Who among ye' do you name as ye'r captain?"

"That would be me." Eliwood said walking up to the elder warrior. "You have my thanks, yet may I ask your name?"

"Fargus." The man replied. "I'm the pirate captain of the ship the Darvos. I've heard ye' need passage to Valor."


	16. Chapter 16

_**The Dragon's Gate**_

Leila watched from the shadows as Ephidel strode past. Though the man's face showed no emotion, Leila could tell that something had upset him. And an upset Ephidel, though rarely if ever seen, was highly frightening. When the Ostian spy heard the swish of Ephidel's cloak past, she began tailing him from the large pillars that supported the ceiling that was hidden by shadows.

"Lord Elbert that wretch." Ephidel spat, as he walked. "I can't believe he set those twins free. Jaffar!"

Out of thin air, another man appeared from the shadows. This one a head shorter than Ephidel, whose red hair was partially hidden under his cowl, and an almost dead look in his eyes. "You summoned me Lord Ephidel."

"I did indeed." Ephidel said, seemingly placated by the assassin's appearance. "You have a new mission in Bern. You leave at once."

Jaffar nodded, and vanished once more into the shadows. All the while, Leila felt her legs shake, and her hands were slick with sweat. She had to report to Lord Hector, and tell him what she had heard. She quietly made her way back to the entrance to the darkened shrine.

"Going somewhere Leila?" A soft smooth voice asked from behind the Ostian spy, and she felt her stomach drop, and her veins turn to ice. She spun on around, and came face to face with Ephidel.

"Lord Ephidel." Leila said taken completely by surprise. "I was going to check the sentries."

Ephidel smiled in a way that meant he knew. "It was such a shame. You showed such promise. Ah well, Jaffar dispose of her."

The same red haired assassin appeared from behind the Morph, his wicked curved killing daggers in his hands. Leila suddenly had her own blades in her hands, as they had been hidden up the sleeves in her jacket. Her hands were shaking as she gripped her weapons. Deep down she knew she had no chance against the famed Angel of Death, but if she wanted to get out of here and find Lord Hector, she had no other choice other than to do battle with Jaffar.

A long moment of silence passed between Leila and Jaffar, during which he blinked once. That was the signal for the two to begin. To the naked eye, it looked as if the two had vanished into the shadows. Not far off in this case as both were skilled assassins. The clash of metal on metal was the only sound of the two assassins doing battle. While Leila was skilled, she was no match for Jaffar, and the sharp stinging pain in her arms had proven this point.

Stabbing one of her blades forward, Leila was shocked to find nothing but air. Jaffar had vanished, and was preparing to finish her. Leila halted her breathing, straining her ears for any sound that might give Jaffar away. And give him away was exactly what Jaffar's cloak did. Though her stomach jolted with fear, the blade in her left hand sliced through the air, catching Jaffar in his left shoulder. Seizing her chance, Leila ran from the shrine as fast as her legs could carry her. She was stopped only once by two Black Fang guards.

"Lady Leila. What is the matter? Why are you injured?" One of them had asked.

"There is a traitor on the loose." Leila panted out. "They ran down the east corridor."

The two guards, had just turned their attention towards the east corridor, when Leila struck. Her twin blades flashed, catching both guards across the throat. They convulsed violently, as her blades had been poisoned, before they collapsed to the ground. Not looking back, Leila ran from the shrine. Heading for water, so if anyone pursuing her would not be able to pursue her any farther than that.

To say Ephidel was angered would have been an understatement. The Morph was beside himself with rage. First Lord Elbert freeing the twins, now Leila had betrayed them _and_ managed to escape. Any scout that had reported back with now news of Leila's whereabouts did not last a moment longer when the Morph's rage broke. "Damnit all! Someone get me Uhai!"

 _ **Aboard the Darvos**_

Jace closed his eyes, as the sea breeze ran through his hair. The only time he had been aboard a ship until now, was when he was an infant. Although unsettling as the motion of the ship was, as it sailed over the water, the air blowing through his hair was rather calming as the thoughts raced through his head.

"What's on that brilliant mind of yours?" The tactician was snapped out of his thoughts as Eliwood approached him.

Jace was silent for a moment, before he found his voice. "There is much on my mind at the moment Lord Eliwood. The biggest ones involve your father, and Lord Darin. From what Lord Uther's spy Leila I believe her name was. From what she had said, Lord Darin and this war of his would have spread across not just Lycia, but Etrua, Illia, and Bern as well. My question to this is why? What does all this accomplish? And what it have to do with Lord Elbert."

Eliwood drummed his fingers along the smooth wood of the _Darvos_ as Jace spoke. "Perhaps we can find the answers we seek on Valor. At least I _hope_ we can."

"If Naga smiles upon us, hopefully we will." Jace replied, before a small wooden craft caught his attention. Bringing out his spyglass, the tactician stared through the looking glass at who or what was in it. "Eliwood, get Fargus. We have a drifter."

Several men of Fargus' crew hauled the small craft up from the water, and a moment later everyone was surrounding a young beautiful woman with long pale blue hair. "By Naga, is that Ninian!?"

"Anything this far off, must have come from Valor." Fargus said, as Jace called over Sera and Priscilla.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Near the coast of Valor**_

Ninian was shivering something horrible, as Sera and Priscilla used their staves to cure whatever it was that ailed the light blue haired maiden. Raja and Lyn had wrapped her tightly in whatever blankets had been brought up from below decks, though it seemed as if Ninian still believed she was in the freezing waters around the Darvos. All the while, Jace and Cyrus were looking out to sea as the coast of the Dread Isle loomed closer.

"What in the name of Naga was she doing all the way out here?" Jace asked, as he drummed his fingers along his upper forearms.

"Do you remember how we discovered Ninian and her brother Nils?" Cyrus asked his younger brother.

"They were being hunted by the Black Fang." And then it fit together. "The previous year, the Black Fang were after the two. Ninian being out here this close to Valor, must mean that the Black Fang must have captured them once again. Perhaps Eliwood's father Lord Elbert set Ninian and Nils free."

"A pleasant thought brother." Cyrus replied as he absentmindedly ran a hand along the haft of his newly aquired axe. He was not used to the weapon as he was with his saber. He was not the only one who had to get used to new equipment. Sain had donned a heavier set of armor, and had a new axe the same as Cyrus. Florina was being shown by Lyn how to properly wield a blade, and while not as proficient as the Sacean Swordswoman was, she had a surprising amount of skill with her new weapon under Lyn's mentorship. Oswin, like Sain had an even heavier set of armor than before, and was also wielding an axe like both Sain and Cyrus.

The Darvos made land falll not soon after. Fargus had said they would wait two weeks for Eliwood and their company to return, yet had asked if the young Phearan noble would take along a member of the pirates crew who wished to go exploring the Dread Isle. Dart, while a bit foulmouthed in Jace's mind, did seem to have a loyal nature and a good heart. Fargus had insisted that Ninian also accompany them, worried that she might be bad luck, and did not want her aboard the Darvos during the time Eliwood's company was on Valor.

Eliwood's company trudged through the thick forests that took up the majority of the island for what seemed like hours, finally coming to a rest in a large clearing. While relieved at the chance for a brief reprieve, everyone was still on edge due to this place being the Black Fang's chief base of operations. Florina's Pegasus came to land in the center of the large clearing, with his rider astride her.

"Did you see anything?" Jace asked, as Florina dismounted Huey.

"Nothing but forests for miles." Florina replied. "No sign of any buildings, ruins or otherwise."

"This does not bode well for us." Jace said. "We could become lost very fast, and Lord Elbert may not have-" A rustling of leaves near the edge of the clearing, cut Jace off in mid-sentence. His right hand soon had his blade gripped tightly, and he was not the only one whose weapon was in hand. Sain and Cyrus had both drawn their axes, Wil and Rebecca had arrows notched in their bows. Raja's dark golden blade was nothing more than a golden blur as it cleared its scabbard. Zephyr, while not having drawn his long single-edged blade, had formed the seething orb of dark energy that was his Goetia spell. Everyone was on edge, as whoever it was who had found them came closer. Moment after tense moment passed, until someone stumbled into their clearing.

"Leila!?" Hector exclaimed in surprise.

The Ositan spy looked up at Hector, gave a small relieved smile, and collapsed to the damp earth of the forest clearing.

Eliwood, Hector, Lyn, and Jace rushed to Leila's side at once. She looked a horrible mess to Jace. There were long cuts on her arms, and her skin was pale. _Probably due to the blood she must have lost,_ he thought as he looked at the cuts along her arms. _These were made by short blades of some sort._

A numb stinging pain on his left hand tore Jace from his thoughts. The tactician looked at his hand, to find it slick with Leila's blood. _But blood doesn't sting not unless…_ "Oh Naga, her wounds are poisoned!"

The three lords attention snapped from the injured spy, to the tactician. There was a mix of horror and worry etched onto their faces, and a moment later, Hector had called for both Sera and Priscilla, while Lyn had Jace's hand in a vice like grip.

"You need a healer Jace." Lyn said, as her eyes looked from Leila's blood on his hand, to his face as if wondering if whatever poison was in Leila's blood was affecting her tactician.

"Not as bad as Leila does Lyn." Jace replied, wincing as Leila's poisoned blood continued to sting his hand. "She's lost a lot of blood, and there is more poison in her than there is on my hand."

The sapphire of Priscilla's staff came to rest against Jace's fingertips, and a bright light enveloped his hand. The stinging numbness vanished almost at once, and Jace let out a sigh of relief also not realizing that he had been holding his breath.

"Thank you Priscilla." Jace said, looking at his now poisoned blood free hand.

"It was no trouble Lord Jace, but it is going to take far longer with Lady Leila." Priscilla said, turning her staff and attention to the heavily injured spy. "She's lost so much blood, and there is more poison in her system than there is blood."

Hours later, saw Matthew sitting on a stump of a once great tree in the clearing, with his face buried in his hands. That was where Hector found him. The blue haired lord frowned, as gruff and blunt as he was, Matthew's behavior troubled him.

"Matthew." Hector's voice brought the thief out of his thoughts, and Hector nearly jumped in surprise. The rims of Matthew's eyes were red, and his eyes were still shining with tears.

"I was going to ask her to leave this life behind when her mission was finished." The thief croaked out. "And now that is never going to happen…"

And that's when it all clicked in Hector's mind. "Matthew, Leila is going to survive."

Matthew's shining eyes widened. "What?"

"She'll live Matthew. Though it'll be some time before she will be on her feet. There was more poison in her blood than there was blood."

"You're not helping Lord Hector." Matthew said.

"I'm not so good when it comes to comfort. Just go be by her side."

Matthew ran off to Leila's side, passing Raja who was in conversation with her three sons, and the two remaining lords.

"I've never seen a poison like that before." Raja said scowling.

"It's not Plegian." Zephyr said. "Our county's poisons work far too fast. If that spy had a Plegian poison in her system, she would have been with Naga in a manner of seconds."

"It's definately not Bernese either." Cyrus said, consulting a small book on poisons and antidotes Erk had given him while Sera and Priscilla had attended to Leila. "Most of them, even in small doses work just like the poisons from Plegia."

"What about the poison that Lundgren used on my grandfather?" Lyn asked, the thumb of her left hand tracing circles upon the hilt of the Mani Katti. They were all absorbed in their conversation, they did not notice the figure looming over them at the edge of the clearing, until it was far too late. The figure grabbed Lyn, and held a blade up to her throat.

"Lyn!" Jace cried, as he drew his blade.

"If you wish her dead, than by all means please step forward." Came the voice belonging to the person who had taken Lyn hostage. Jace was surprised that her hostage taker was a Sacean like she was. He wore the crest of the Black Fang on a bandana like Rath's. As the large Sacean spoke, he pressed his blade ever so slightly against Lyn's neck to emphasize his point.

"Who are you?" Jace asked, attempting to keep his voice calm, even though his fingers tightened on his blade.

"I am Uhai the Soaring Hawk." The man named Uhai said, in response to Jace's question. "I have been sent to retrieve the girl, and kill the traitor."

"What girl?" Jace asked, his eyes darting around the clearing. _Damnit, we're surrounded._

"The girl hiding behind Lord Elbert's son." Uhai said, nodding in Eliwood's direction. Sure enough, Ninian who had woken up during the time Sera and Priscilla were busy tending to Leila, was cowering behind the red haired lord.

 _So Lord Elbert is here._ Jace thought, as a plan formed in his mind. "Why do you want Ninian?"

"I do not ask questions. I go where I am commanded to go." Uhai said.

"What about the poison that nearly killed Leila?" Hector asked, as he made to reach for his axe. Though Jace placed an arm across his broad chest, to prevent the larger lord from drawing his weapon.

"Don't, he still has Lyn." Jace said in a commanding tone, before turning his attention to Uhai once again. "But my esteemed colleague raises a good question. What about the poison that was used on her?"

It was a moment before Uhai spoke again. "I will tell you should you best me." He then shocked everyone, by taking his blade away from Lyn's throat, and shoving her forward.

"Why did you release me?" Lyn asked shocked, even as she drew the Mani Katti from its scabbard.

"Taking a hostage is shameful." Uhai replied. "Now will you rise and challenge me? Or will you hand over the two women and leave? I strongly suggest you take the later option."

Zephyr scoffed, and swiped his blade into the leaves near the clearings edge. There was a moment of silence where all those present, Uhai included, marveled and the swordsmanship of the eldest Ebonhart brother. Then several soft thuds reached their ears, and four heads rolled into the clearing. Each severed head had a bandana like Uhai's that bore the crest of the Black Fang.

"There's your answer." Zephyr said pointing his long single edged blade in Uhai's direction. "If you want the women, then you will have to best _us_."

"Circle up!" Jace called out. "Form ranks! Armor in front, archers behind!"

The ensuing battle lasted several hours. While Uhai's forces had them surrounded, they could not penetrate the defensive wall Jace had orchestrated to defend Ninan and Leila. Marcus, Sain, Kent, Hector, Dorcas, Bartre, and Oswin were immovable objects who felled enemies that came too close. They were supported by Wil and Rebecca, who fired arrows at enemies who were outside the range of swords, lances, and axes. Lowen, Eliwood, Matthew, Guy, Florina and Raja stood in reserve. Ready to step in if need be. Jace, Cyrus, and Zephyr stood side by side deflecting blows that came their way, and retaliating when they could. If Rebecca and Wil were preoccupied with another foe, they fired spells of their own. Twice the Ebonhart brothers came close to hitting Uhai with a powerful spell, but the large Sacean was very fast despite his size. Their forces had gained another member, a Pegasus knight like Florina, who from what Jace could understand over the sound of combat, was Florina's older sister.

"Brother down!" Zephyr called in warning to Jace, as the familiar dark chill that signalled danger ran up Jace's spine. Jace was then pushed further back into the formation, as Zephyr stood where he did moments before. Jace was caught by Lyn, who both stared at the tactician's eldest brother in confusion. Zephyr swiped his sword up, and what looked like an Elwind spell shot from Zephyr's long blade, and split the arrow that had been aimed at Jace in half. When the tactician looked past Zephyr, he saw Uhai with a bow in his hands, and a disappointed expression on his face.

"What sort of blade is that?" Jace asked, though he knew that now was not the right time to be asking, he could not help but be curious about the special ability of Zephyr's blade.

"It's a Wind Sword." Zephyr replied, as Uhai lowered his bow, and drew the blade he had threatened Lyn with. "And it looks like Uhai has decided to join the fray."

"Oh good." Jace replied, odd and uncharacteristic bloodlust filling the tactician. "I've been meaning to introduce him to my blade ever since he threatened Lyn."

Jace broke the formation, and headed straight for Uhai, who matched his pace. The two brought their blades together, and the sound echoed around the clearing. In that one instance, Jace registered one thing. _He's stronger than I originally thought._

It was all Jace could do to keep up with Uhai's bladework. Yes he had trained with Lyn, so he was a step above most swordsman, but Uhai was on a whole other level. He'd gotten Jace on the defensive ever since their initial clash, and it was all Jace could do to either block or dodge out of the way of Uhai's strikes. Of course, that proved to be a bad idea as well, as the last time Jace moved away from Uhai's blade, the large Sacean's boot connected with the tactician's chest. The blow send him flying back, causing him to land in a heap, his blade landing several feet away.

Uhai stepped forward to finish Jace off, but found his path blocked by Zephyr. The raven haired man stood between Uhai and Jace, with his blade pointed at the large Sacean, his body language saying: 'I'm your opponent now'.

The two then launched into a duel that put Zephyr's battle with Cyrus back at Castle Caelin to shame. The two struck, blocked, and counter struck at one another with little effort on their part. Both combatants ducked or leapt over one another's strikes when they had the chance, or no other option but to do so.

It was either luck or skill, when Zephyr's boot caught Uhai in the chest. Perhaps in retaliation for Uhai kicking his youngest brother in the same spot. But it did create separation, and it was the separation and the opportunity that Zephyr needed. He swiped his Wind Sword up in a diagonal manner, and the Elwind like spell shot from the blades long edge. Uhai brought his blade up in an attempt to block, but Zephyr's enchanted strike effortlessly sliced through Uhai's blade, and deep into the large Sacean's chest.

"Well… Done…" Uhai groaned, coughing up blood. He stumbled back against a tree, dropping what remained of his blade as he slumped to the ground, leaving a trail of blood along the bark of the tree. "As promised… The assassin uses a poison… Made from the berries of the Mistletoe plant…"

Zephyr signalled for Sera and Priscilla, but Uhai groaned out in protest. "No… It is too late for me… But listen… I have one more reward for you… Our hideout… Head west from here… Turn north at the rotted tree… You will find the Dragon's Gate there…" With that, the light faded from Uhai's eyes, and his head fell forward. The Soaring Hawk had passed on.


	18. Chapter 18

The passing of an honorable man such as Uhai had affected everyone in the company. The most notable of all was Lyn. She'd refused to speak to anyone, even Jace which bothered the tactician.

"One of us needs to speak to her." Eliwood said, his brows knitted together as everyone made camp for the evening. "We're close to the Black Fang hideout, and it would be very beneficial if we knew what was on Lyn's mind."

"I believe that duty then falls to me." Jace said. "She'll talk to me … I hope."

Lyn had set up her tent a small distance away from the main camp. Her battle hardened Sacean steed was tied up just outside of her tent. Jace gently ran a hand over the horse's snout, who knickered in approval before the tactician gently rapped on the flap of Lyn's tent.

"Lyn, it's Jace." There was what felt like an eternity of silence, before Jace spoke again. "May I come in?"

Another long moment of silence passed, before the tent flap opened and the swordswoman appeared in the entranceway. Her expression was a mix between mild shock and irritation, though it did not hide the deep sadness in her deep green eyes. "Did you honestly just ask for permission? Since when do you ask Jace?"

With that, Lyn seised the front of Jace's jacket and pulled the tactician into her tent. The first thing he noticed, was that Lyn had set up a second bedroll in her tent. _Perhaps she's feeling better_.

"I'm guessing that you're wondering why I haven't been myself lately?" She asked closing the tent flap.

"And you do not miss a thing. Yes Lyn, you haven't been yourself since Uhai's defeat." Jace said, feeling rather uncomfortable about discussing why this was bothering Lyn so badly.

"It's because… It's because, Uhai wasn't just a Sacean. He was a member of the Lorca."

Jace froze. He had _not_ been expecting that. He had thought that Lyn was the only survivor of her tribe, now with the addition and subsequent death of Uhai, Lyn _had_ to be the last surviving Lorca.

"And how… How did you know he was a Lorca?" Jace asked, still stunned from the revelation.

Lyn then showed Jace the sash that Uhai had tied around his waist. It was sliced somewhat from where Zephyr's Wind Sword had cut into it when he had delivered the killing blow. Lyn pointed to a crest in the center of the damaged cloth. "This is the symbol of the Lorca. Only the members of our tribe wore these."

As shocked and uncomfortable as he was with this situation, a question was forming in his mind. "Lyn, If Uhai was a member of the Lorca, how did he escape the bandit attack?"

The swordswoman shook her head after folding the torn sash. "That I do not know. Perhaps he fought his way out, or perhaps he had left the tribe before the attack. I was too distraught with the pain of mourning my fellow tribesmen and my parents, to wonder if any others had survived."

"The gods can be cruel." Jace began. "We all had thought that the Lorca had all perished, and we encounter another survivor, only to cut him down."

"Mother Earth has called his body back into her embrace." Lyn said as her eyes brimmed with tears.

Instinctively, Jace reached a hand out to wipe away Lyn's tears. Though he believed his hand would be smacked away, he was relieved when it wasn't. "Don't cry Lyn. You're far too beautiful for tears."

 _ **The next morning**_

Jace opened his eyes, to find his sight impaired by a tangle of light green hair. Lyn had obviously fallen asleep on top of him, and was from the sound of her breathing still pleasantly asleep. It almost felt wrong to have to wake her from her sleep, especially with the revelation that she was the truly the last of her tribe.

"Lyn." Jace began, giving the swordswoman a small shake. "Darling, I believe it is time to wake up."

Lyn groaned, and shook her head making Jace suppress a laugh as her hair tickled. "Just a little longer…"

"You would only get a few seconds more beloved." Jace replied, as he heard approaching footsteps. The sound of somebody rapping on the tent flap came a moment later.

"Wake up you two sluggabeds." Raja called out in a mocking tone, making the both of them roll their eyes.

In very little time, Lyn's tent was packed and the tightly wrapped bundle was tied to the back of the saddle on Lyn's horse. She had taken Uhai's damaged sash, and wrapped it around the Mani Katti's scabbard. The company was in full march moments later following the directions given to them by Uhai. It took them little to no time to find the large stone structure that had to have been the hideout of the Black Fang.

 _Sun isn't even at its highest point in the sky. Uhai wasn't leading us astray. Perhaps we will be able to retrieve Lord Elbert with little to no effort._ Jace thought as he got a good look at the large foreboding structure. _No, that's not possible. This is the Black Fang's main base, so it is likely to be positively crawling with Black Fang._

"My father is in there." Eliwood said, as he stepped up to the tactician's side.

"We have to tread carefully Eliwood." Jace said, surveying the large structure for the upteenth time. "Chances are high that Lord Darin is here on top of possibly hundreds of Black Fang soldiers."

"Well then, what do we do?" The young Lord asked, as he saw the wheels in the tactician's head begin to turn.

"That is very simple." A toneless voice said from behind them. Jace and Eliwood whirled around, only for horror to jolt through their stomachs. Ephidel the Morph who had aided the Laus and Plegian troops in attacking Caelin. What horrified them even more, was that he had somehow gotten past everyone, and had taken Ninian hostage. "I'm taking dear Ninian back to where she belongs. With my Master Lord Nergal."

"Let her go now you abomination." Cyrus snarled drawing his saber, at the same moment everyone else drew their weapons.

Ephidel tutted and shook his head, pulling Ninian who was struggling furiously closer to him. "Now now, you'll not want to be doing that. I could easily move dear Ninian into the path of any of your weapons."

"You're bluffing." Raja said, pointing her golden blade at the Morph.

"You need Ninian for whatever you're planning." Jace retorted. "You can't risk any harm coming to her."

"Ah, you're a smart one." ephidel sneered. "No wonder your father wants you returned to him. I offer you this Lord Ebonhart. Surrender yourself and the traitor Leila now, and your comrades may leave this island unharmed."

"Do you think me a fool?" Jace scoffed. "If I agree to that, you'll just kill my comrades anyway."

"Well of course I would." Ephidel replied. "I just wanted to make you believe you were doing the noble thing."

Lyn stepped in front of Jace, the Mani Katti pointed at Ephidel. "You'll not be taking Jace, and you'll be giving back Ninian now."

"No, I don't believe I will." Ephidel said as he vanished, taking Ninian with him.

"Damnit!" Eliwood cursed, as Jace turned back towards the large stone structure with his spyglass in hand. In the instant that Ephidel had vanished, there was a massive troop movement inside the structure.

"Looks like they're preparing for a frontal assault." Jace said to himself, surveying the battlefield. "They're leaving their flanks open to attack."

"I see the wheels turning in your head Jace." Eliwood said, attempting to keep his voice even. "What is your plan Jace?"

"Distraction into a pincer." Jace began. "We send our riders in first, and make them believe we're attacking in force. Wil and Rebecca will fly in with Florina and Fiora and rain arrows down on the defenders. While they're preoccupied with bringing reinforcements to the front, the rest of us will split into two groups, and hit their flanks on both sides hard."

The sun was high in the afternoon sky, by the time Jace's plan went into action. Marcus, Lowen, Sain, Kent, and Oswin spurred their steeds towards the large structure at full gallop. Just what the defenders were hoping for. Their shields were raised, and their lances braced. What they didn't count on was having arrows rain down on them from above. As they scrambled for cover from the arrows, they were hit full force by five riders armed for war. While the five riders fought their way through the scattered defensive line, everyone else put the second phase of Jace's plan into action.

One flanking group led by Jace consisting of Lyn, Eliwood, Erk, Priscilla, Raven, Dorcas, Lucius, and Dart hit the left flank. While at the same time, the second group being led by Cyrus and consisting of Hector, Raja, Zephyr, Bartre, Guy, Matthew, Canas, and Sera attacked the right flank. Though both flanking parties were met with slight opposition, mainly archers and a few knights in heavy armor, their bolts were blocked by a wall of small flux orbs cast by Jace on the left, and Canas on the right flank. The wall of archers were quickly cut down, by a combination of anima and light magic. The knights then moved forward, in an attempt to halt the flank. That's when Jace and Canas unleashed their wall of flux orbs at the knights. Those that didn't fall under the hail of elder magic, lasted not a moment longer under the strength of the axemen.

An hour later, the defenders had been defeated, and three Lycian lords, three tactical geniuses, and a master Plegian swordsman were now staring at the would-be instigator of a war that could have spread throughout all of Elibe. Darin growled, as his heavily armored hand gripped a very menacing looking lance.

"You dare? All of you _dare_ to attack me!? I am destined to rule this world!" He roared, as Hector blocked his lance strike with his axe.

"You attempt to wage war against all of Lycia!" Hector roared, as he split the haft of Darin's axe. "You align yourself with these murderers! You abduct Lord Elbert! You attempt to kill Lord Hausen! The only thing you're destined for is death!"

Darin snarled, and drew another lance. He once again struck at Hector, yet Jace and Cyrus blocked this particular strike, as Hector once again destroyed Darin's lance. Not missing the chance, Lyn used the Ebonhart brothers backs as a springboard of sorts. She vaulted into the air, heading straight for Darin. The Mani Katti reflected the sun's light, as the swordswoman brought the sacred blade down, rending Darin's head from his shoulders.

"That was for my grandfather." Lyn said calmly, as Darin's head hit the floor the moment she sheathed the Mani Katti.

"Well struck Lyndis." Eliwood said, as he wiped blood off of his rapier. "Yet we must hurry, and find where Ephidel has taken Ninian, and where in this Elmine forsaken place my father is."

"Hold a moment Eliwood." Jace said, placing a hand on the Phearan lords shoulder.

"We may not have a moment Jace." Eliwood replied, his tone rising a few octaves in what seemed to be desperation.

"This will not take long." The tactician responded, before turning to his mother. "Mother you said you had a spy here, but we've carved a rather bloody swath through this fortress, and he's not revealed himself."

Raja smirked, and crossed her arms in a rather nonchalant manner. "He's very good at staying hidden. Yet I believe it's time to stop hiding in the shadows Legault."

"About time." A voice said from behind one of the large stone pillars, that supported the roof of the large fortress. The man who spoke, was several years older than most gathered. Slightly older than Raja, yet nowhere near as old as Wallace or Egalar. His hair seemed to be either a very pale blue, or a dull silver in color, and the scar on his slightly aged face went from the top of the left side of his forehead, to the bottom of his right jaw. "I was worried I would have to engage you to keep my cover if you had waited any longer in dispatching Darin."

"This is your spy mother?" Cyrus asked, placing his saber, which he had partially drawn back in its sheath. "An agent of the Black Fang?"

"That's _former_ agent of the Black Fang." Legault corrected. "It's not what it used to be."

"Tell us later." Eliwood said. "Right now we need to find-"

"Lord Elbert, and that girl Ephidel brought with him not too long ago." Legault cut across. "Raja told me everything. Now follow me."

Legault led Eliwood, Lyn, Hector, and Jace into a darkened section of the large structure. The light that came from the torches lit several hundred yards apart, gave everything an eerie greenish tint. The farther they went, the more Jace's sense of dread grew. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew something horrible was about to happen, yet he did not yet know what it was.

"How much farther?" Eliwood asked, a hand on the hilt of his rapier.

"Not much farther now." Legault replied, with his hands on his own long curved blades. "But keep your hands on your weapons. I don't like this place at all."

"And up until a moment ago, you worked for the Black Fang." Jace said, making an attempt at humor with his small verbal jab.

"Never stopped me from getting the chills, the few times I've been here." Legault replied.

They continued on for a short while longer, before a figure came into sight at the base of a stone staircase. Though this figure was hunched over, in the light of the torch the man's distinctive red hair was unmistakable.

"Father!" Eliwood broke into a run, coming to a stop, and kneeling down at his father's side.

Lord Elbert stirred, and looked up into the concerned eyes of his son. "Eliwood." He said weakly. "You should not have come."

"I couldn't just abandon you." Eliwood said, as he attempted to haul his father to his feet. "Come father, we're leaving."

A dry laugh that seemed to come from all directions, got everyone's attention. Weapons were drawn, as more torches along every pillar were lit. "I'm afraid Lord Elbert will not be leaving here alive."

Everyone looked up to the top of the stone staircase, to the sight of a man possibly in his late seventies. He was dressed in heavy dark robes, and a turban covered his right eye. Though the manic glint in his left eye held enough intensity for both. The dark chill that went up Jace's spine said that this man was dangerous.

"And just who in all seven circles of hell are you!?" Hector growled, his axe raised.

"Stop Hector." Lord Elbert said, placing a hand weakly on the younger man's broad shoulder. "You mustn't fight that man."

The man at the top of the staircase laughed his dry laugh once more. "Soon my dream will be realized. Ephidel, bring the girl."

Ephidel appeared at once, with Ninian in his grasp. Yet there was something odd about the young woman now. Her eyes were unfocused, almost like she was in a trance of some sort.

"She is ready Lord Nergal." Ephidel said bowing.

 _So this is Nergal._ Jace thought, as the dark chill that went up his back intensified tenfold.

"Then let us begin." Nergal said, his smile matching the manic glint in his eye.

"No!" Lord Elber shouted. "You cannot do this! Bringing the dragons back to this world would destroy it!"

"Pah! What do I care if the world is destroyed!" Nergal barked, his manic smile growing wider. "Ninan, begin! Call them to this world!"

"Come Forth… Children… Of… Flame…" Ninan said in a broken monotone.

As Ninan spoke, the wall behind Nergal began to glow a hellish yellow, as the entire temple shook. The rumbling intensified, as a semi-transparent red scaled dragon began to emerge from the gate. Jace, Hector, and Lyn tightly gripped their weapons, preparing to rush and cut down Nergal and Ephidel, grab Ninian and run, when a familiar voice Jace and Lyn knew quite well rang out.

"Ninian stop!" A small figure ran past them, stopping halfway up the stone steps.

"Nils!?" Lyn exclaimed in surprise.

"Ninian, snap out of it!" Nils called to his sister, who at that moment seemed to have come back to her senses.

"Nils? What's going on?" Ninian asked, clearly frightened.

"Nevermind that, come to me!" Nills called out to his sister, who flew down the stone steps, towards her brother.

"No!" Nergal exclaimed, as his manic smile turned into a snarl of rage. As Ninian was no longer calling for the dragon to come through the gate, the dragon began to dissolve in a whirlwind of hellfire.

"No it does not end here!" Nergal cried out. He seized Ephidel, and threw him into the flames to shield himself. The morph screamed in horrendous agony, as the flames consumed him, as the dragon collapsed in on itself.

Jace, Lyn, Legault, and Lord Elbert, who was being supported by Eliwood and Hector, ran as fast as they could for the entrance to the temple. Yet just before they reached the doors, Nergal appeared in their path. His expression furious.

"Nils you whelp! You will pay for your betrayal!" A mass of seething dark energy formed in Nergal's right hand as he spoke. He flung his spell at the young boy, who was suddenly pushed out of the way. The spell that was meant for Nils hit Lord Elbert squarely in the chest.

"Father!" Eliwood cried out, moments before the Marquess of Pheare stabbed Nergal in the stomach with a dagger he had managed to conceal.

"I told you Nergal." Lord Elbert said in a far weaker tone, than when his son had found him. "I will oppose you always."

"You wretched man." Nergal snarled, as he vanished into thin air, at the same moment Lord Elbert collapsed to the floor.

"Father!" Eliwood exclaimed as he rushed to Lord Elbert's side. He attempted to get his father back on his feet, yet Lord Elbert was not going anywhere after shielding Nils from Nergal's spell. "Father hold on, we'll get you out of here."

"No Eliwood. I'm not going anywhere. Oh Elanora, she will be cross with me…" Lord Elbert said softly, as the light began to fade from the Marquess' eyes.

"FATHER!" Eliwood cried out in anguish, as he held his father's body in his arms. Though Lord Elbert was unresponsive, as his heart had stopped beating, and the former Marquess' spirit was now with Elmine.


	19. Chapter 19

The _Darvos_ was silent as she made port in Badon. Everyone even Fargus' crew was in a state of silent shock, and had been since Eliwood's return to the ship with his father's body cradled in his arms. Since his initial outcry at the Dragon's Gate upon Lord Elbert's passing, Eliwood had not said a word to anyone. His eyes were wide and glazed over, almost as if he was in a trance. Yet nobody could blame him. If any of the crew of the _Darvos,_ or any of Eliwood's companions had family pass on in such a way, they would undoubtedly react the same way. In fact one of Eliwood's companion's knew _exactly_ how he felt. Lyn was no stranger to a loss like this, having lost her tribe as well as her parents. She knew how much pain Eliwood was experiencing at this very moment.

Fargus allowed Eliwood and his companions stay aboard the _Darvos_ for the evening, and it was along the bow of the ship that Jace found the young Lord. He was staring out to see, and Jace just knew that he was staring in the direction of Valor.

"I am taking my father's body back to Pheare in the morning." Eliwood said, still staring out to sea. "I've already sent word to my mother."

"I'll go with you then." Jace replied after a moment of silence, as he processed Eliwood's words.

"You needn't do that." Eliwood said, turning to face the tactician.

"And allow you to run afoul of a bandit attack? Or worse, agents of the Black Fang sent to finish you off? Jace asked, giving the young Lord a cross look.

"You're right Jace." Eliwood conceded, then added with the smallest trace of a smile. "As always."

Jace was about to make a remark, when Eliwood held a hand up for silence. Jace's brow knitted together in confusion, before he heard what sounded like oars on the water close to the _Darvos._ Yet who would approach the ship by rowboat when it was docked? The answer hit him harder than he imagined Sir Wallace could in full sprint. The _Darvos_ was about to be attacked.

The Lord and tactician arrived at the same destination at once. They reached for their blades, at the same time as the sound of metal on wood reached their ears. The assailants were using grappling hooks to scale the side of the ship.

"We need to warn Captain Fargus." Jace hissed, a moment before a pained scream followed by a splash reached their ears. Thundering footsteps then came from below decks.

"I think he knows." Eliwood replied, as a masked figure vaulted onto the ship's deck. Two long curved blades similar to Legault's were in the hooded assailant's hands. He spun the blades in his hands in both a challenging manner, and in a way that was obvious showboating. Eliwood rolled his eyes, and his rapier flashed at a speed that rivaled even Lyn's. Eliwood stabbed the man right between the eyes, burying his blade up to the cross guard in the man's skull.

Jace recognized the symptoms of someone fighting in anger. Though allowing an emotion to guide your actions in combat such as anger was effective, it was also incredibly dangerous as many who fight while enraged meet their death in the same battle. Another assailant made his way onto the deck, and Eliwood turned his attention to him. Though he never got the chance to turn his blade on the newcomer. An Arcfire spell flew over Eliwood's head, and immolated the assailant, who fell over the side of the ship screaming until a splash and a loud hiss told the two he had hit the water.

"I had everything under control." Eliwood said humorously, though his eyes gave away the fact that he was still very much enraged at this moment.

"That's what it looked like." Jace remarked, his crimson eyes hard as the sound of combat below decks reached their ears. "But more importantly Eliwood, you need to calm down."

"What are you talking about?" Eliwood asked, as more assailants clambered onto the top deck with their weapons drawn.

"You're fighting in anger." Jace replied, blocking a downward strike with his blade. He place his left palm onto the chest of his attacker, and his resulting thunder spell was so strong that it blasted a hole clean through the man's chest.

"I _am_ angry Jace." Eliwood remarked, as he parried two strikes at once. His left fist came into contact with the right side of one assailant's jaw, and in the same motion Eliwood grabbed the back of the seconds cowl. With his rapier angled downwards, Eliwood plunged the thin blade into the attacker's chest. Once again burying the blade up to the cross guard.

"We're all angry at the moment Eliwood." Jace replied, cutting two attackers of his own off at the knees. "But you're letting your anger get the better of you in this fight. That's not just dangerous, it could get you killed. And I don't think Lady Elanora could handle losing both her husband, and her only son in quick succession."

"He makes a point Eliwood." Hector said in a growl, as he and Lyn had joined the two by that time. The larger Lord planted his boot into the chest of an assailant, that sent him over the side of the ship.

"I know he does Hector, but I cannot displace this anger that burns inside me!" Eliwood exclaimed, his eyes brimming with angry tears.

"Alright then." Jace said, motioning to Lyn and Hector. The three of them stood with their backs facing one another, shielding Eliwood with their bodies as they fought until the sun rose over the ocean's horizon. By that time, all the assailants had been killed, and Eliwood's company was riding to Castle Pheare.

Eliwood stayed quiet throughout the ride to his home. The sun was low in the afternoon sky, when the company saw several horsemen on the road facing them. Jace initially reached for his blade, before he noticed two of the horsemen carried the banners of Pheare. A guard of honor. The Phearan horseman allowed the company to pass, and flanked them on either side as Castle Pheare slowly came into sight. Lady Elenora was waiting for them at the castle gates, alongside a mountainous man with a rough face and wild blue hair. He could only be Hector's elder brother Lord Uther, the Marquess of Ostia.

The funeral for Lord Elbert was grand, though Jace could not bring himself to attend. Though he could not explain why, he did not, or rather could not allow himself to attend. More to avoid watching Eliwood weep for his father. He never did like it when people wept.

It was on the castles northern ramparts where Lyn found her tactician. "You know, for a tactical genius, you can be quite predictable."

"I knew you'd find me up here Lyn." Jace said, slightly closing his eyes and breathing in her scent that was carried to him by a passing breeze. "I just couldn't bring myself to attend the funeral."

"I know you aren't good with tears Jace." Lyn said, wrapping her arms around him, and pulling her tactician in close. "But please do not blame yourself for Lord Elbert's passing. None of us could have known what was going to happen."

"I believe this is a rather classic reversal of fortune." Jace said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Only a few days ago, I was attempting to comfort you."

Lyn lightly ran a hand through Jace's dirty blond hair, after pressing her lips onto the top of the tactician's head. "Eliwood does not blame you for what happened. Nobody blames you Jace."

"May I ask you something Lyn?" Jace asked, looking up at the swordswoman. She stood a head taller than him.

"Of course you may." Lyn replied, smiling in a comforting manner.

"How did you and Hector get to the top deck?" The tactician replied.

"Fargus and most of his crew were able to hold off the borders." Lyn began. "Most of us were not needed, with the exception of Wil and Rebecca, so Hector and I decided to go and assist you."

"I'm glad you came to help." Jace replied.

"Now may I ask you something?" Lyn asked.

"Of course Lyn." Jace began. "What is it you want to know?"

"What do we do now?" Lyn asked. "What is our next move going to be?"

"That is simple." The tactician said. "We're going to Bern, and taking this war the Black Fang started to their doorstep."


	20. Chapter 20

Jace ran a hand along his blade, as agitation coursed through him. How is it that a group rag tag cutthroats had managed to infiltrate the large Ostian fortress the company was taking up residence for the night? "We cannot seem to catch a break. Yet how in Naga's name did they manage to get in?"

"When we find their leader, I'll ask him that." Hector growled, as he lifted his axe.

"What are our options Jace?" Eliwood asked, drawing his rapier.

"Chokepoints." Jace began. "Cut them off at crucial areas, and prevent them from from getting any farther into this fortress."

"And what of their leader?" Hector asked, his brow furrowed.

"I know you might not like what I am about to say Hector." Jace replied. But you might have to let their leader go."

Hector's eyes widened with shocked anger. "Jace, do you honestly expect me to -"

"Hector." Jace and Eliwood cut across in stern tones to emphasize their point.

The large man growled and threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine. I'll go along with your plan Jace. I may not like having to let the leader of these rogues go, but I'll go along with your plan. But if the opportunity presents itself."

" _If_ it presents itself, then the leader is all yours." Jace replied. "If things go bad Naga forbid, then we will hold up in the main hall, and wait for lord Uther and his men to arrive."

"That is our last resort I take it?" Eliwood asked, his rapier now drawn.

"If the hostile force proves to great in number or skill, yes that is our last resort." Jace replied, gripping his blade. "Now Hector, Eliwood, join my mother and lead the fortresses' guard in defense of the main hall. Cyrus, and Zephyr are co-ordinating the chokepoints. I'm taking Wil and Rebecca up onto the ramparts with Lyn."

"May I ask why you're taking our archers up to the ramparts?" Eliwood asked, his brow furrowed.

"I saw several wyvern riders approaching the fortress." Jace replied. "I'm not going to let them land."

"I understand Jace." Eliwood said, and the tactician could tell that he was still hurting from his father's death. Not that Jace could fault him one bit. "But Jace, you stay safe."

Jace caught Hector's arm, when the larger man made to follow his friend. "You keep him safe. You and that honor guard of Lady Elenora's. Because I shudder to think what wrath she will bring down upon our heads if she loses her only son."

Hector nodded once. "Don't worry that untidy head of yours. I'll guard him with my life, he's my closest friend after all."

"He's mine as well." Jace replied, releasing Hector's arm. "Naga watch over you Hector."

"Elmine keep you safe tactician." Hector said before following Eliwood, and Jace left to join Lyn upon the fortresses' ramparts. Lyn was already waiting for her tactician, the Mani Katti firmly gripped in her right hand. The archers Jace had mentioned, Wil and Rebecca were on either side of her their bows already in their hands, and arrows notched in the strings.

"Is everyone ready?" Lyn asked, smiling softly as she always did whenever she set eyes upon him.

"As we can be." Jace replied with a half-laugh. "We were expecting to bring hell to the Black Fang's doorstep in Bern. Not being chased by mercenaries while in the largest province in Lycia."

The now familiar dark shudder that signalled danger crept up Jace's spine, only moments before a large wyvern landed upon the parapet to his right. Both Jace and Lyn raised their blades, at the exact moment Wil and Rebecca pulled back on their bowstrings. The wyvern growled challengingly, as if daring them to make a move against it.

"Peace Hyperion." The wyvern's rider barked at his winged mount. The rider in question looked to be several years older than Jace, there was a tuft of white upon the untidy mop of dark green hair. The wyvern named Hyperion growled in protest, causing his rider to pull back on its reigns in a commanding manner, before said rider addressed the four warriors in front of him. "Who among you do you name as your leader?"

There was what felt to be a long moment of silence that passed between the five, before Jace stepped forward motioning to Wil and Rebecca to lower their bows. "That at the moment would be me. Who are you rider? And what business would you have with us?"

"I wish to surrender myself to you." The rider said in response to Jace's question, which caused the tactician in question to blink at the wyvern rider in confusion. "The commander of my mercenary company has fallen from grace in my eyes. Before we began hunting for your company, he ordered us to kill women and children. I refused, and since then I have been looking to defect to a company whose leader has a strong sense of honor."

"You're a Bernese wyvern rider aren't you?" Jace asked, a small smile on his lips.

"I was." The rider responded. "I deserted from my post in Bern, before becoming a mercenary who would desert from his band."

"How can we trust you then?" Lyn asked coldly, tightly gripping the Mani Katti in her hand.

"I believe we can." Jace replied. "I do not know much about wyvern tactics, but I know that Bernese knights have a strong sense of honor. Honor, not loyalty, as hundreds of soldiers desert from the Bern army because the generals are so corrupt and drunk with power."

"Indeed they are." The rider responded. "Will your company accept my services?"

"I do not lead this company, but I believe that Eliwood will accept your services." Jace replied. "Eliwood is a very honorable man, if he accepts your services I have no doubt you will have no qualms in following him into battle."

The rider nodded. "I wish to meet with your Lord Eliwood once the fighting has stopped."

"That can very easily be arranged." Jace said. "For now I want you to take Rebecca onto your wyvern. The two of you will do a fly over, and rain arrows down onto the members of your former mercenary band. Can you handle that rider?"

"Heath." The rider replied.

"Pardon?" Jace asked.

"That is my name. Heath."

Jace nodded. "Very well Heath. You and Rebecca have your orders, Naga watch over you."

"What are we to do Jace?" Lyn asked, after Rebecca had mounted Hyperion, and the wyvern took to the air once more.

"We are going to assist Hector and Eliwood in the main defense of the fortress." He replied. "Wil, join Cyrus in the west chokepoint."

For the second time that day, Jace felt the dark shiver run down his spine. He stopped just short of the stone archway that lead to the ramparts, which was the only thing that saved him from losing his head, as someone swung at him with a poorly kept axe. The axehead both embedded itself in the stone of the archway, and the wood that made up its haft splintered upon impact. Jace and Lyn shared a look, and the tactician looked at his sword arm to which Lyn had in a vice like grip. The swordswoman had pulled her tactician back at the exact moment he had stopped short of the archway.

The two shared an almost unseen nod to one another, and the two moved as one. Lyn was the first to emerge from the stone archway. The Mani Katti slashed through the air, severing the assailants arm at the shoulder. He did not have long to grieve for the loss of his arm, as Jace sent an Arcthunder bolt right under Lyn's arm, and through the assailants chest, which pierced his heart.

"You two make quite the team." A familiar monotoned voice said from somewhere behind them. Both Lyn and Jace turned to find their old ally from the Legion Rath astride his horse. He was smiling slightly, acting as if nothing had changed and he was still with the Legion.

"Rath of the Kutola." Lyn said, her lips curving up into a bright smile.

"It's good to see you again old friend." Jace said, before his attention was drawn to the sound of fighting. "Oh Naga tell me they haven't gotten further into the fortress."

"I do not believe so." Rath began. His eyes were closed as he was listening to the sounds of combat. "No, those are sounds of confusion. It seems one of the attacking mercenaries has turned on the company. Your work Jace?"

"In a way." Jace replied. "One of the mercenaries surrendered to us, and one of our archers is currently astride the man's wyvern raining arrows upon the heads of the members of his former company that are outside the fortress."

"Ah, a similar tactic to what you had Wil and Florina do as we fought our way to castle Caelin." Rath said.

"Sometimes a good tactic works." Jace replied. "Yet how in Naga's name were able to that those mercenaries were confused over all the noise?"

"It's a Sacean hunting technique." Lyn said. "We use it to track down prey, as well as our enemies. We hone our senses other than our sight, it allows us to discern what our quarry is doing, where there exact position is, and if anything ails them."

"How is it that you never told me or showed me this before?" Jace asked, clearly astounded at just the description of this hunting skill.

"Because you never asked me to show you." Lyn replied, smiling.

"A fair point Lyn, yet we cannot waste any more time." The tactician began. "We need to assist Eliwood and Hector. As I said before, Wil head to the west corridor. Rath, take the east."

"That leaves you and I to assist Hector and Eliwood." Lyn said as Wil and Rath left to support Jace's elder brothers.

The two ran down the main hall of the large fortress, all the while Jace was wondering how it was that one attacker was able to slip through the defenses he had set up. There must be a hidden entrance somewhere, which he'd have to sent someone Matthew likely, to find where the assailant had come from. The two lords were easy enough to spot, and they were doing an excellent job in back the attacking mercenaries. Of course they weren't alone. Marcus, Oswin, Raja, and Isadora (who was the the honor guard Lady Elenora had sent to keep her son safe) had all but pushed the attacking force back to the entrance to the fortress.

"That was fast." Eliwood began, when when Jace and Lyn joined them.

"I will explain later." Jace began, not bothering to look at the mercenary that attacked him with a rather obvious overhead strike. The tactician very nonchalantly raised his blade to block. "The short version is, that the wyvern rider is spotted surrendered to us. He's currently with Rebecca raining down arrows upon the assailants outside. Hold a moment, Thoron!"

The large spear-like bolt of lightning shot from the small orb of magical energy that formed at the thip of the first two fingers on Jace's left hand. It shot through the chest of the assailant, and about ten others behind him. They all crumpled to the floor, with a foot wide hole through each of them.

"And no negative effects this time." Jace said smiling in relief.

"You still should not use that spell just yet." Raja said, as large shimmering runes appeared in front of the assailants. Having seen Raja use this spell before, everyone but Isadora backed up.

"Isadora, pull back now." Marcus barked in command, to which the younger woman obeyed, though she was still unsure of what was about to happen.

"Eclipse." Raja said in an almost bored manner. The runes exploded outwards, seeking out the remaining assailants. They screamed in pain, as they dropped to the floor, though not dead, but teetering on the brink of life.

"She can be frightening sometimes." Eliwood remarked with a slight shudder.

"Try being raised by her Eliwood." Jace replied.

"I believe I will pass on that my friend." Eliwood said, as a wyvern landed in the doorway of the fortress. Hyperion growled as Heath deposited a man in front of the large wyvern.

"Who in Naga's name is this?" Jace asked, as the elder man backed away from Hyperion.

"Eubans." Heath replied. "He's the leader of these mercenaries."

"Heath you traitor." Eubans growled, yet said nothing more when Hyperion growled in a threatening manner.

"What do we do with them?" Jace asked, sheathing his blade.

"Lock them away until my brother arrives." Hector growled. "He can decide what to do with them when he gets here."


End file.
